Phase sensitive reconstruction of T1-weighted inversion recovery in the evaluation of the cervical cord lesions in Multiple Sclerosis; is it similarly eligible in 1.5 T magnet fields?

A Shayganfar; A H Sarrami; S Fathi; V Shaygannejad; S Shamsian

doi:10.1016/j.msard.2018.04.013

Phase sensitive reconstruction of T1-weighted inversion recovery in the evaluation of the cervical cord lesions in Multiple Sclerosis; is it similarly eligible in 1.5 T magnet fields?

Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2018 Jul:23:17-22. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2018.04.013. Epub 2018 Apr 22.

Authors

A Shayganfar¹, A H Sarrami², S Fathi¹, V Shaygannejad³, S Shamsian¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
² Department of Radiology, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Electronic address: sarrami@semums.ac.ir.
³ Department of Neurology, Isfahan Neuroscience Research Centre, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

PMID: 29730588
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2018.04.013

Abstract

Background: In primary studies with 3 T Magnets, phase sensitive reconstruction of T1-weighted inversion recovery (PSIR) have showed ability to depict the cervical multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions some of which may not be detected by short tau inversion recovery (STIR). Regarding to more availability of 1.5 T MRI, this study was designed to evaluate the eligibility of PSIR in 1.5 T for detection of spinal cord MS lesions.

Method: In a study between September 2016 till March 2017 the patients with proven diagnosis of MS enrolled to the study. The standard protocol (sagittal STIR and T2W FSE and axial T2W FSE) as well as sagittal PSIR sequences were performed using a 1.5 T magnet. The images were studied and the lesions were localized and recorded as sharp or faint on each sequence.

Results: Of 25 patients (22 females and 3 males, with mean age of 33.5 ± 9.8 years and mean disease duration of 5.4 ± 3.9 years) 69 lesions in STIR, 53 lesions in T2W FSE, 47 lesions in Magnitude reconstruction of PSIR (Magnitude), and 30 lesions in phase sensitive (real) reconstruction PSIR were detected. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed STIR has a statistically significant higher detection rate of the plaques rather than other three sequences. (STIR and T2W FSE, Z = -4.000, p < 0.0001, STIR and Magnitude, Z = -4.690, p < 0.0001, STIR and PSIR, Z = -6.245, p = 0.002) Also, STIR had a statistically significant superiority in the boundary definition of the plaques rather than other three sequences.

Conclusion: This study shows that in the setting of a 1.5 T magnet field, STIR significantly has a superiority over both of the PSIR reconstructions (i.e. real and magnitude) for the detection as well as the boundary definition of the cervical cord lesions of MS. These results have a good relevance to clinical practice by using MRI scanners and sequences routinely available, however, it is discrepant with other reports performed by 3 T Magnet fields.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Multiple sclerosis; Spinal cord.

MeSH terms

Adult
Cervical Cord / diagnostic imaging*
Female
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / instrumentation*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
Male
Multiple Sclerosis / diagnostic imaging*