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Determination of skeletal tumor extent: is an isotropic T1-weighted 3D sequence adequate?

  • Magnetic Resonance
  • Published:
European Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To test the hypothesis that an accelerated, T1-weighted 3D CAIPIRINHA SPACE sequence with isotropic voxel size offers a similar performance to conventional T1-weighted 2D TSE (turbo spin echo) for the evaluation of bone tumor extent and characteristics.

Methods

Thirty-four patients who underwent 3-T MRI with 3DT1 (CAIPIRINHA SPACE TSE) and 2DT1 (TSE) were included. Sequence acquisition time was reported. Two radiologists independently evaluated each technique for tumor location, size/length, tumor-to-joint distance, signal intensity, margin/extraosseous extension, and signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise (CNR) ratios.

Results

Tumors were located in long (20/36, 55.5%) and pelvic (16/36, 44.4%) bones. 3DT1 sequence required an average acquisition time of 235 s (± 42 s, range 156–372), while two plane 2DT1 sequences combined (coronal and axial) had an average acquisition time of 381 s (± 73 s, range 312–523). There was no difference in the measurements of tumor length and tumor-to-joint distance (p = 0.95) between 3DT1 and 2DT1 images. Tumors were hypointense (17/36, 47.2% vs 17/36, 47.2%), isointense (12/36, 33.3% vs 12/36, 33.3%), or hyperintense (7/36, 19.4% vs 7/36, 19.4%) on 3DT1 vs 2DT1, respectively. Assessment of tumor margins and extraosseous extension was similar, and there was no difference in tumor SNR or CNR (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

An accelerated 3D CAIPIRINHA SPACE T1 sequence provides comparable assessments of intramedullary bone tumor extent and similar tumor characteristics to conventional 2DT1 MRI. For the assessment of bone tumors, the isotropic volume acquisition and multiplanar reformation capability of the 3DT1 datasets can obviate the need for 2DT1 acquisitions in multiple planes.

Key Points

• 3DT1 offers an equivalent performance to 2DT1 for the assessment of bone tumor characteristics, with faster and higher resolution capability, obviating the need for acquiring 2DT1 in multiple planes.

• There was no difference in the measurements of tumor length and tumor-to-joint distance obtained on 3DT1 and 2DT1 images.

• There was no difference in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) measures between 3DT1 and 2DT1.

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Abbreviations

3D:

Three dimensional

2D:

Two dimensional

CAIPIRINHA:

Controlled Aliasing in Parallel Imaging Results in Higher Acceleration

CNR:

Contrast-to-noise ratio

FOV:

Field of view

FSE:

Fast spin echo

GRAPPA:

Generalized Autocalibrating Partial Parallel Acquisition

IW:

Intermediate weighted

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

PACS:

Picture archiving and communication system

PD:

Proton density

ROI:

Region of interest

SD:

Standard deviation

SI:

Signal intensity

SNR:

Signal-to-noise ratio

SPACE:

Sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolution

TE:

Echo time

TR:

Repetition time

TSE:

Turbo spin echo

VIBE:

Volume intercalated breath-hold exam

W:

Weighted

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Rodrigo Luna & Laura M. Fayad

  2. Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Jan Fritz

  3. Servizio si Radiologia del Sottoceneri, Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland

    Filippo del Grande

  4. Division of Musculoskeletal Imaging, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Shivani Ahlawat

Authors
  1. Rodrigo Luna
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  2. Jan Fritz
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  4. Shivani Ahlawat
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  5. Laura M. Fayad
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura M. Fayad.

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The scientific guarantor of this publication is Laura Fayad.

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The authors of this manuscript declare relationships with the following company: Siemens AG.

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Luna, R., Fritz, J., del Grande, F. et al. Determination of skeletal tumor extent: is an isotropic T1-weighted 3D sequence adequate?. Eur Radiol 31, 3138–3146 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-020-07394-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-020-07394-4

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