Patzig M, Burke M, Brückmann H, Fesl G
Dept. of Neuroradiology, University of Munich.
GE Healthcare, Solingen.
Rofo. 2014 May;186(5):484-8. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1355896. Epub 2013 Dec 17.
Three-dimensional (3 D) MRI sequences allow improved spatial resolution with good signal and contrast properties as well as multiplanar reconstruction. We sought to compare Cube, a 3 D FLAIR sequence, to a standard 2 D FLAIR sequence in multiple sclerosis (MS) imaging.
Examinations were performed in the clinical routine on a 3.0 Tesla scanner. 12 patients with definite MS were included. Lesions with MS-typical properties on the images of Cube FLAIR and 2 D FLAIR sequences were counted and allocated to different brain regions. Signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were calculated.
With 384 the overall number of lesions found with Cube FLAIR was significantly higher than with 2 D FLAIR (N = 221). The difference was mostly accounted for by supratentorial lesions (N = 372 vs. N = 216) while the infratentorial lesion counts were low in both sequences. SNRs and CNRs were significantly higher in CUBE FLAIR with the exception of the CNR of lesion to gray matter, which was not significantly different.
Cube FLAIR showed a higher sensitivity for MS lesions compared to a 2 D FLAIR sequence. 3 D FLAIR might replace 2 D FLAIR sequences in MS imaging in the future.
三维（3D）磁共振成像（MRI）序列具有更高的空间分辨率、良好的信号和对比度特性以及多平面重建功能。我们试图在多发性硬化症（MS）成像中，将三维液体衰减反转恢复（3D FLAIR）序列Cube与标准二维（2D）FLAIR序列进行比较。
在临床常规检查中使用3.0特斯拉扫描仪进行检查。纳入12例确诊为MS的患者。对Cube FLAIR序列和2D FLAIR序列图像上具有MS典型特征的病灶进行计数，并将其分配到不同的脑区。计算信噪比（SNR）和对比噪声比（CNR）。
Cube FLAIR序列发现的病灶总数为384个，显著高于2D FLAIR序列（N = 221）。差异主要由幕上病灶导致（372个 vs. 216个），而两个序列的幕下病灶计数均较低。除病灶与灰质的CNR无显著差异外，Cube FLAIR序列的SNR和CNR均显著更高。
与2D FLAIR序列相比，Cube FLAIR序列对MS病灶显示出更高的敏感性。未来，3D FLAIR序列可能会在MS成像中取代2D FLAIR序列。
