MR imaging of the small bowel with a true-FISP sequence after enteroclysiswith water solution

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. To evaluate a novel MR enteroclysis technique for small-bowel imaging. METHODS. Twenty-one patients with suspected small-bowel disease underwent b oth MR and conventional enteroclysis. MR enteroclysis was performed by inje cting an iso-osmotic water solution through a nasojejunal catheter with a f low rate of 80 to 150 mL/min. A maximum of 2 L of water solution was admini stered. A dynamic heavily T2-weighted single-shot turbo spin-echo sequence was applied in coronal orientation to monitor the bowel filling and adequat e distention. Twelve 4-mm-thick slices were acquired by using a true fast i maging with steady-state precession (true-FISP) sequence during an 18-secon d breath-hold interval. Small-bowel distention, wall conspicuity, homogenei ty of opacification, and the presence of artifacts were subjectively evalua ted by two reviewers using five-point scales. RESULTS. Chemical shift artifacts were low and ghost artifacts were absent, Susceptibility artifacts were more prominent in the ileum; motion artifact s were low in the jejunum, ileum, and ileocecal area. Homogeneity of opacif ication was very good in the jejunum, good to very good in the ileum, and g ood in the ileocecal area. Distention was very good to excellent in the jej unum and ileum and very good in the ileocecal area. Wall conspicuity was ve ry good to excellent in the jejunum and ileum. CONCLUSIONS. MR enteroclysis with the true-FISP sequence produced high-qual ity images of the small bowel. Further clinical studies are required to det ermine the clinical efficacy of the new technique compared with conventiona l enteroclysis.