NONTRAUMATIC PEDIATRIC MUSCULOSKELETAL MR-IMAGING - COMPARISON OF CONVENTIONAL AND FAST-SPIN-ECHO SHORT INVERSION TIME INVERSION-RECOVERY TECHNIQUE

PURPOSE: To compare conventional short inversion time inversion-recove ry (STIR) with fast spin-echo (FSE) STIR techniques to evaluate suspec ted nontraumatic musculoskeletal abnormalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty STIR and FSE-STIR examinations in 26 pediatric patients with s uspected nontraumatic musculoskeletal abnormalities were prospectively evaluated. Qualitative (subjective) and quantitative (five-point rank score) analyses of the images were performed. RESULTS: FSE-STIR was f aster than STIR (mean, 2 minutes 25 seconds and 6 minutes 35 seconds, respectively). Fat suppression was slightly better with STIR. Image de gradation due to motion was judged similar. Lesion contrast to muscle was slightly better with STIR than FSE-STIR, and lesion contrast to fa t was equivalent. Qualitatively, lesion conspicuity was similar: All l esions were seen with both techniques. CONCLUSION: FSE-STIR can replac e STIR when an inversion-recovery fat-suppression sequence is desired. Considerable imaging time is saved.