Musculoskeletal Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75390-9178, USA,
Eur Radiol. 2015 Jun;25(6):1672-7. doi: 10.1007/s00330-014-3552-8. Epub 2015 Feb 1.
Technical assessment of SHINKEI pulse sequence and conventional 3DIRTSE for LS plexus MR neurography.
Twenty-one MR neurography examinations of the LS plexus were performed at 3 T, using 1.5-mm isotropic 3DIRTSE and SHINKEI sequences. Images were evaluated for motion and pulsation artefacts, nerve signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, nerve-to-fat ratio, muscle-to-fat ratio, fat suppression homogeneity and depiction of LS plexus branches. Paired Student t test was used to assess differences in nerve conspicuity (p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant). ICC correlation was obtained for intraobserver performance.
Four examinations were excluded due to prior spine surgery. Bowel motion artefacts, pulsation artefacts, heterogeneous fat saturation and patient motion were seen in 16/17, 0/17, 17/17, 2/17 on 3DIRTSE and 0/17, 0/17, 0/17, 1/17 on SHINKEI. SHINKEI performed better (p < 0.01) for nerve signal-to-noise, contrast-to-noise, nerve-to-fat and muscle-to-fat ratios. 3DIRTSE and SHINKEI showed all LS plexus nerve roots, sciatic and femoral nerves. Smaller branches including obturator, lateral femoral cutaneous and iliohypogastric nerves were seen in 10/17, 5/17, 1/17 on 3DIRTSE and 17/17, 16/17, 7/17 on SHINKEI. Intraobserver reliability was excellent.
SHINKEI MRN demonstrates homogeneous and superior fat suppression with increased nerve signal- and contrast-to-noise ratios resulting in better conspicuity of smaller LS plexus branches.
• SHINKEI provides homogeneous and superior fat suppression, shown by higher nerve and muscle-to-fat ratios. • SHINKEI shows better nerve signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios than 3DIRTSE. • SHINKEI enables nerve-selective images with increased conspicuity of smaller LS plexus branches. • SHINKEI should be considered in routine MR neurography of the LS plexus.
对 SHINKEI 脉冲序列和常规 3DIRTSE 进行 LS 丛磁共振神经成像的技术评估。
在 3T 下对 21 例 LS 丛磁共振神经成像检查进行了 1.5mm 各向同性 3DIRTSE 和 SHINKEI 序列检查。对运动和搏动伪影、神经信号与噪声比、对比噪声比、神经与脂肪比、肌肉与脂肪比、脂肪抑制均匀性以及 LS 丛分支的显示情况进行了图像评估。采用配对学生 t 检验评估神经显影的差异（p<0.05 为统计学显著差异）。采用 ICC 相关性评估观察者内表现。
由于脊柱手术，有 4 例检查被排除。16/17 例 3DIRTSE 和 0/17 例 SHINKEI 可见肠运动伪影、搏动伪影、不均匀的脂肪抑制和患者运动；17/17 例 3DIRTSE 和 0/17 例 SHINKEI 可见不均匀的脂肪抑制。SHINKEI 在神经信号与噪声比、对比噪声比、神经与脂肪比和肌肉与脂肪比方面表现更好（p<0.01）。3DIRTSE 和 SHINKEI 显示了所有 LS 丛神经根、坐骨神经和股神经。10/17 例 3DIRTSE 和 17/17 例 SHINKEI 可见较小的分支，包括闭孔神经、股外侧皮神经和髂腹下神经；5/17 例 3DIRTSE 和 16/17 例 SHINKEI 可见股神经。观察者内可靠性极好。
SHINKEI MRN 表现出均匀且优越的脂肪抑制，具有更高的神经信号和对比噪声比，从而使较小的 LS 丛分支具有更好的显影。
SHINKEI 提供均匀且优越的脂肪抑制，表现为更高的神经和肌肉与脂肪比。
SHINKEI 显示的神经信号与噪声比和对比噪声比优于 3DIRTSE。
SHINKEI 可实现具有更高显影性的神经选择性图像，可显示较小的 LS 丛分支。
在 LS 丛的常规磁共振神经成像中应考虑 SHINKEI。
