COMPARISON BETWEEN FAST SPIN-ECHO AND CONVENTIONAL SPIN-ECHO IMAGING OF NORMAL AND ABNORMAL MUSCULOSKELETAL STRUCTURES IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG-ADULTS

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. The differences in imaging characteristics between conventional and fast spin-echo studies of the skeletons of children and young adults were evaluated. METHODS. Concurrent conventional and fast spin-echo studies of 23 patients were compared by measuring signal intensity, contrast, and, subjectively, conspicuity of normal and abnormal musculoskeletal structures. RESULTS. Fast proton-density-weighted images had lower signal-to-noise ratios of muscle, fat, and physeal, epiphyseal, and articular cartilage. Using more than three echoes for proton-density images resulted in blurring and decreased lesion conspicuity. On fast T2-weighted images, there was greater conspicuity of normal cortex, ligaments, and muscle; but less contrast between fat and water because of a higher signal-to-noise ratio of fat. When both sequences were obtained with similar image quality, fast spin-echo was 40% faster. CONCLUSION. Fast spin-echo studies allows faster imaging, but can have blurring on proton-density-weighted images and decreased fat-water contrast on T2-weighted images.