GRADIENT-ECHO VERSUS FAT-SUPPRESSED FAST SPIN-ECHO MR-IMAGING OF ROTATOR CUFF TEARS

OBJECTIVE, The purpose of this study is to compare fat-suppressed T2-w eighted fast spin-echo sequences with T2-weighted multiplanar gradient -echo sequences in revealing rotator cuff disorders. MATERIALS AND MET HODS. Oblique coronal fat-suppressed fast spin-echo images and gradien t-echo images of 39 patients who underwent surgery of the shoulder wer e retrospectively reviewed. Images from the two techniques were review ed separately. Each set of images was interpreted twice by four muscul oskeletal radiologists independently and without knowledge of the surg ical findings. Sensitivity and specificity for both sequences were det ermined. The kappa statistic was used to calculate intraobserver and i nterobserver agreement of interpretations. RESULTS. For detecting any tear, the sensitivity of the four readers was 71-96% using fast spin-e cho and 58-100% using gradient-echo imaging. Confidence intervals show ed no difference between the two sequences. Sensitivity of detecting f ull-thickness tears was 83-100% for both sequences. Interobserver agre ement was good. CONCLUSION. T2-weighted gradient-echo and fat-suppress ed T2-weighted fast spin-echo sequences depict rotator cuff tears equa lly well and take less time to acquire than conventional dual-echo spi n-echo sequences.