Reduction of motion, truncation and flow artifacts using BLADE sequences in cervical spine MR imaging

Lavdas, Eleftherios, Mavroidis, Panayiotis, Kostopoulos, Spiros, Ninos, Constantin, Strikou, Aspasia-Dimitra, Glotsos, Dimitrios, Vlachopoulou, Anna, Oikonomou, Georgia, Economopoulos, Nikolaos, Roka, Violeta, Sakkas, Giorgos K., Tsagkalis, Antonios, Stathakis, Sotirios, Papanikolaou, Nikos and Batsikas, Georgios (2014) Reduction of motion, truncation and flow artifacts using BLADE sequences in cervical spine MR imaging. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 33 (2). pp. 194-200. ISSN 0730725X

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Abstract

Purpose To assess the efficacy of the BLADE technique (MR imaging with ‘rotating blade-like k-space covering’) to significantly reduce motion, truncation, flow and other artifacts in cervical spine compared to the conventional technique. Materials and methods In eighty consecutive subjects, who had been routinely scanned for cervical spine examination, the following pairs of sequences were compared: a) T2 TSE SAG vs. T2 TSE SAG BLADE and b) T2 TIRM SAG vs. T2 TIRM SAG BLADE. A quantitative analysis was performed using the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) measures. A qualitative analysis was also performed by two radiologists, who graded seven image characteristics on a 5-point scale (0: non-visualization; 1: poor; 2: average; 3: good; 4: excellent). The observers also evaluated the presence of image artifacts (motion, truncation, flow, indentation). Results In quantitative analysis, the CNR values of the CSF/SC between TIRM SAG and TIRM SAG BLADE were found to present statistically significant differences (p < 0.001). Regarding motion and truncation artifacts, the T2 TSE BLADE SAG was superior compared to the T2 TSE SAG, and the T2 TIRM BLADE SAG was superior compared to the T2 TIRM SAG. Regarding flow artifacts, T2 TIRM BLADE SAG eliminated more artifacts than T2 TIRM SAG. Conclusions In cervical spine MRI, BLADE sequences appear to significantly reduce motion, truncation and flow artifacts and improve image quality. BLADE sequences are proposed to be used for uncooperative subjects. Nevertheless, more research needs to be done by testing additional specific pathologies.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Cervical spine MR imaging, BLADE sequences, Image quality, Artifact reduction
Divisions:	Health Sciences
Depositing User:	Users 134 not found.
Date Deposited:	14 Feb 2017 21:15
Last Modified:	10 Aug 2020 12:49
URI:	https://marjon.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/15307

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