A COMPARISON OF 2-D AND 3-D FSE IMAGING IN MR OF THE CERVICAL-SPINE

The aim of the study was to assess whether a 3-D FSE sequence with rea l-time multiplanar reconstruction could replace our standard 2-D imagi ng of the cervical spine, MRI was performed on a GE Vectra 0.5 T syste m using a quadrature surface neck coil, Signal intensity of CSF, spina l cord, surrounding tissue and background were measured, Contrast to n oise ratio and contrast between the different tissues was calculated f or the different sequences, A subjective assessment of the various les ions was made, No statistical difference in tissue contrast was found between 2-D and 3-D images when the contrast between cord and CSF, or between cord and marrow was calculated. Contrast between cord and marr ow was better on 3-D images, The contrast to noise ratio was better on 2-D images compared with the 3-D images for both cord/CSF and CSF/mar row but there was no difference between the 2-D and 3-D images for cor d/marrow, In three patients the lesion was better demonstrated on the 3-D sequence than on the 2-D combination, but only in one of these was the abnormality not visible on the 2-D images; in six patients the 2- D images were considered superior, Although the 3-D sequence reduced o verall imaging: time we found that at 0.5 T contrast was inadequate, a nd that lesions were less clearly demonstrated than on the 2-D sequenc es, We conclude that a single 3-D sequence cannot satisfactorily repla ce the 2-D combination routinely used at 0.5 T.