Purpose:
The purpose of this study is first to show the extent by which BLADE sequences can reduce all the image artifacts and second to verify that the usefulness of this technique in certain pathological conditions is significant.
Methods:
In this study, fourteen consecutive patients (5 females, 9 males), who routinely underwent MRI brain examination, between 2010–2014, were selected. The applied routine protocols for brain MR examination included the following sequences: 1) T2‐W FLAIR axial; 2) T2‐W TSE axial; 3) T2*‐W axial, 4) T1‐W TSE sagittal; 5) DWI‐W axial; 6) T1‐W TSE axial; 7) T1‐W TSE axial+contrast. In cases of cystic tumors, the T2‐W FLAIR BLADE sequence was added to the protocol. All the images were evaluated independently at two separate settings with 3 weeks interval by two radiologists. The radiologists also evaluated the presence of image artifacts (motion, flow, chemical shift, Gibbs ringing). To evaluate the size of the cyst, the two radiologists compared the two techniques (conventional and BLADE) by assessing the extent of the divergence in the measurements of the cysts.
Results:
Regarding the extent of the cyst size, BLADE measurements were found to be more reliable than the conventional ones with the differences being statistically significant (p<0.01). The qualitative measurements indicated that the T2 FLAIR BLADE sequences were superior to the conventional T2 FLAIR with statistically significant differences (p<0.001) in the following characteristics: 1) overall image quality, 2) CSF nulling; 3) contrast at the pathology and its surrounding; 4) limits of the pathology; 5) motion artifacts; 6) flow artifacts; 7) chemical shift artifacts and 8) Gibbs ringing artifacts.
Conclusion:
BLADE sequence was found to decrease both flow artifacts in the temporal lobes and motion artifacts from the orbits and it is proposed for clinical use.
Purpose:To assess the efficacy of the BLADE technique to eliminate motion, truncation, flow and other artifacts in Cervical Spine MRI compared to the conventional technique. To study the ability of the examined sequences to reduce the indetention and wrap artifacts, which have been reported in BLADE sagittal sequences.Methods:Forty consecutive subjects, who had been routinely scanned for cervical spine examination using four different image acquisition techniques, were analyzed. More specifically, 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), contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) and relative contrast (ReCon) 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:Based on the findings of the quantitative analysis, the ReCON values of the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid)/SC (spinal cord) between TIRM SAG and TIRM SAG BLADE were found to present statistical significant differences (p<0.001). Regarding motion and truncation artifacts, the T2 TSE SAG BLADE was superior compared to the T2 TSE SAG and the T2 TIRM SAG BLADE was superior compared to the T2 TIRM SAG. Regarding flow artifacts, T2 TIRM SAG BLADE eliminated more artifacts compared to the T2 TIRM SAG.Conclusion:The use of BLADE sequences in cervical spine MR examinations appears to be capable of potentially eliminating motion, pulsatile flow and trancation artifacts. Furthermore, BLADE sequences are proposed to be used in the standard examination protocols based on the fact that a significantly improved image quality could be achieved.
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