Study design: Prospective study based on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the lumbar spinal root of the intervertebral foramen.
Purpose: This study was to compare MR three-dimensional (3D) sequences for the evaluation of the lumbar spinal root of the intervertebral foramen.
Overview of literature: The diagnosis of spinal disorders by MR imaging is commonly performed using two-dimensional T1- and T2-weighted images, whereas 3D MR images can be used for acquiring further detailed data using thin slices with multi-planar reconstruction.
Methods: On twenty healthy volunteers, we investigated the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the lumbar spinal root of the intervertebral foramen with a 3D balanced sequence. The sequences used were the fast imaging employing steady state acquisition and the coherent oscillatory state acquisition for the manipulation of image contrast (COSMIC). COSMIC can be used with or without fat suppression (FS). We compared these sequence to determine the optimized visualization sequence for the lumbar spinal root of the intervertebral foramen.
Results: For the CNR between the nerve root and the peripheral tissue, these were no significant differences between the sequences at the entry of foramen. There was a significant difference and the highest CNR was seen with COSMIC-FS for the intra- and extra-foramen.
Conclusions: In this study, the findings suggest that the COSMIC-FS sequences should be used for the internal or external foramen for spinal root disorders.
Keywords: Coherent oscillatory state acquisition for the manipulation of image contrast; Fast imaging employing steady state acquisition; Intervertebral foramen; Lumbar nerve root; Magnetic resonance imaging; Three-dimensional.