In vivo H-1 double quantum filtered MRI of the human wrist and ankle

Proton double quantum filtered (DQF) NMR imaging was applied in vivo to the human wrist and ankle with a clinical 1.5 T MR scanner. Water molecules ha ving anisotropic motion were detected from tendons and ligaments. Images of Achilles tendon were obtained for a voxel size of 1.25 x 1.25 x 20 mm with three values of TR = 1.0, 0.5, and 0.2 sec, resulting in total acquisition s time of 17, 8.5, and 3.4 mins, respectively. Some degradation of the sign al-to-noise ratio was observed at the shortest TR value and the contrast wa s significantly reduced due to SQ coherence leakage. The in vivo DQF images showed structure within the tendon that is otherwise not visible by conven tional gradient-recalled echo (GRE) methods. Magn Reson Med 43:640-644, 200 0. Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.