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Improved Brachial Plexus Visualization Using an Adiabatic iMSDE-Prepared STIR 3D TSE

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Abstract

Purpose

The close proximity of blood vessels to the brachial plexus nerves can confound nerve visualization in conventional fat-suppressed 3D T2-weighted sequences. Vessel suppression can be accomplished by means of motion-sensitizing preparation. The aim of this study was to qualitatively and semi-quantitatively evaluate short tau inversion recovery (STIR) 3D turbo spin echo (TSE) in conjunction with an adiabatic T2 preparation incorporating motion sensitization for magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) of the brachial plexus in a clinical routine setting.

Methods

The MRN of the brachial plexus was performed in 22 patients (age 45.5 ± 20.3 years) with different clinical implications using the proposed improved motion-sensitized driven equilibrium (iMSDE) STIR 3D TSE and the STIR 3D TSE. Images were evaluated regarding image quality, overall artifacts, artifacts caused by vessel signal, signal homogeneity, visibility of small nerves and signal contrast. Furthermore, signal-to-noise ratios (aSNR), nerve muscle contrast to noise ratios (aNMCNR) and nerve vessel contrast to noise ratios (aNVCNR) were calculated and compared.

Results

The incorporation of motion sensitization in the T2 preparation resulted in robust blood suppression across subjects, leading to significantly higher aNVCNRs (p < 0.001) and aNMCNRs (p < 0.05), increased conspicuousness of the nerves, better vessel suppression and image quality and less artifacts compared with STIR 3D TSE (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The incorporation of the proposed adiabatic iMSDE-based motion sensitization was shown to provide robust blood suppression of vessels in close proximity to brachial plexus nerves. The use of STIR iMSDE 3D TSE can be considered for clinical MRN examinations of the brachial plexus.

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Funding

The present work was partially supported by Philips Healthcare and the European Union (ERC-StG 2014 iBack).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany

    Elisabeth Klupp, Nico Sollmann, Thomas Baum, Claus Zimmer & Jan S. Kirschke

  2. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany

    Barbara Cervantes, Franziska Treibel, Dominik Weidlich, Ernst J. Rummeny & Dimitrios C. Karampinos

Authors
  1. Elisabeth Klupp
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  2. Barbara Cervantes
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  3. Nico Sollmann
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  4. Franziska Treibel
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  5. Dominik Weidlich
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  6. Thomas Baum
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  7. Ernst J. Rummeny
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  8. Claus Zimmer
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  9. Jan S. Kirschke
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  10. Dimitrios C. Karampinos
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elisabeth Klupp.

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Conflict of interest

E. Klupp, B. Cervantes, N. Sollmann, F. Treibel, D. Weidlich, T. Baum, E.J. Rummeny, C. Zimmer, J.S. Kirschke and D.C. Karampinos declare that they have no competing interests.

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Klupp, E., Cervantes, B., Sollmann, N. et al. Improved Brachial Plexus Visualization Using an Adiabatic iMSDE-Prepared STIR 3D TSE. Clin Neuroradiol 29, 631–638 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00062-018-0706-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00062-018-0706-0

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