CERVICAL-SPINE - 3-DIMENSIONAL MR-IMAGING WITH MAGNETIZATION-TRANSFERPREPULSED TURBO FIELD ECHO TECHNIQUES

In 11 volunteers, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the cervical spin e was performed with a magnetization transfer preparatory pulse (prepu lsed), three-dimensional Fourier transform, turbo field echo sequence. The effects of flip angle, number of shots, phase-encoding profile or der, and magnetization transfer prepulse offset frequency on cerebrosp inal fluid-to-cord contrast were evaluated. The contrast was improved by lowering the flip angle, increasing the number of shots, and implem enting a magnetization transfer prepulse and linear phase-encoding pro file order. Maximum myelographic effect was achieved with the magnetiz ation prepulse (500-Hz frequency offset), 3 degrees flip angle, six sh ots, and linear phase-encoding profile order.