MR OF THE HEAD AND NECK - COMPARISON OF FAST SPIN-ECHO AND CONVENTIONAL SPIN-ECHO SEQUENCES

PURPOSE: To compare conspicuousness of head and neck lesions on fast s pin-echo sequences and conventional spin-echo sequences. METHODS: Fort y consecutive patients with 61 head and neck lesions were evaluated. L esion conspicuousness was qualitatively compared on conventional spin- echo and fast spin-echo sequences, using both spin-density and T2-weig hted images. Thirty-six lesions had surgical or pathologic confirmatio n, and 25 were assigned a presumptive diagnosis based on clinical eval uation and imaging findings seen on conventional spin-echo T1- and T2- weighted sequences. Forty lesions were related to neoplasms; 21 lesion s consisted of infectious, vascular, or inflammatory abnormalities. RE SULTS: Fast spin-echo sequences provided improved lesion conspicuousne ss in 91% of spin-density images, in 77% of T2-weighted images, and in 84% of the combined spin-density and T2-weighted images. CONCLUSION: By providing shorter imaging times and equal or superior lesion conspi cuousness, long-repetition-time fast spin-echo sequences can replace l ong-repetition-time conventional spin-echo sequences in evaluation of the head and neck.