MR hysterosalpingography: Protocol development and refinement for simulating normal and abnormal Fallopian tube patency - Feasibility study with a phantom

PURPOSE: To develop and refine a pulse sequence and protocol for testing th e feasibility of magnetic resonance (MR) hysterosalpingography in a phantom model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A phantom simulating the uterus, fallopian tubes, an d surrounding pelvic cavity was constructed. T2-weighted acquisition strate gies-breath-hold fast spin-echo, rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancem ent (RARE), and half-fourier RARE-were refined to acquire sequential 70-mm coronal imaging volumes. Contrast agent was injected into the introducing c atheter entering the os of the simulated uterus. Interacquisition interval, type of contrast agent (eg, sterile saline solution or water), and quantit y of contrast agent (eg 1-5 mL per acquisition) were varied. Digital image subtraction was used to enhance image quality images were qualitatively ana lyzed and rated good, fair, or poor for temporal resolution, spatial resolu tion, fallopian tube conspicuity, and free spill conspicuity. Once the tech nique was refined, the phantom was reconfigured to simulate unilateral and bilateral hydrosalpinx. RESULTS: The RARE sequence with an 8-second interacquisition interval and a 5-mL interacquisition injection of sterile water produced good images of t he:simulated fallopian tubes and free spill. Depiction of unilateral and: b ilateral hydrosalpinx was also reliably demonstrated. CONCLUSION: This study with a phantom model demonstrates the feasibility of MR hysterosalpingography to depict normal and diseased fallopian tubes.