Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3508GX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Neuroradiology. 2011 Feb;53(2):109-16. doi: 10.1007/s00234-010-0713-6. Epub 2010 May 18.
The aim of this study was to introduce and assess a new magnetic resonance (MR) technique for selective peripheral nerve imaging, called "subtraction of unidirectionally encoded images for suppression of heavily isotropic objects" (SUSHI).
Six volunteers underwent diffusion-weighted MR neurography (DW-MRN) of the brachial plexus, and seven volunteers underwent DW-MRN of the sciatic, common peroneal, and tibial nerves at the level of the knee, at 1.5 T. DW-MRN images with SUSHI (DW-MRN(SUSHI)) and conventional DW-MRN images (DW-MRN(AP)) were displayed using a coronal maximum intensity projection and evaluated by two independent observers regarding signal suppression of lymph nodes, bone marrow, veins, and articular fluids and regarding signal intensity of nerves and ganglia, using five-point grading scales. Scores of DW-MRN(SUSHI) were compared to those of DW-MRN(AP) using Wilcoxon tests.
Suppression of lymph nodes around the brachial plexus and suppression of articular fluids at the level of the knee at DW-MRN(SUSHI) was significantly better than that at DW-MRN(AP) (P < 0.05). However, overall signal intensity of brachial plexus nerves and ganglia at DW-MRN(SUSHI) was significantly lower than that at DW-MRN(AP) (P < 0.05). On the other hand, signal intensity of the sciatic, common peroneal, and tibial nerves at the level of the knee at DW-MRN(SUSHI) was judged as significantly better than that at DW-MRN(AP) (P < 0.05).
The SUSHI technique allows more selective visualization of the sciatic, common peroneal, and tibial nerves at the level of the knee but is less useful for brachial plexus imaging because signal intensity of the brachial plexus nerves and ganglia can considerably be decreased.
本研究旨在介绍和评估一种新的磁共振（MR）选择性周围神经成像技术，称为“单向编码图像减法抑制强各向同性物体”（SUSHI）。
六名志愿者接受了臂丛神经的弥散加权磁共振神经成像（DW-MRN）检查，七名志愿者在 1.5T 下接受了膝关节水平的坐骨神经、腓总神经和胫神经的 DW-MRN 检查。使用冠状面最大强度投影显示 SUSHI（DW-MRN(SUSHI)）和常规 DW-MRN 图像（DW-MRN(AP)），并由两名独立观察者对淋巴结、骨髓、静脉和关节液的信号抑制以及神经和神经节的信号强度进行评估，使用五分制评分量表。使用 Wilcoxon 检验比较 DW-MRN(SUSHI)的评分与 DW-MRN(AP)的评分。
DW-MRN(SUSHI)在臂丛周围淋巴结的抑制和膝关节水平关节液的抑制明显优于 DW-MRN(AP)（P<0.05）。然而，DW-MRN(SUSHI)臂丛神经和神经节的整体信号强度明显低于 DW-MRN(AP)（P<0.05）。另一方面，DW-MRN(SUSHI)在膝关节水平的坐骨神经、腓总神经和胫神经的信号强度被判断明显优于 DW-MRN(AP)（P<0.05）。
SUSHI 技术允许更选择性地显示膝关节水平的坐骨神经、腓总神经和胫神经，但对臂丛成像的作用较小，因为臂丛神经和神经节的信号强度可能会明显降低。
