Preliminary use of a double‑echo pulse sequence with 3D ultrashort echo time in the MRI of bones and joints

Ma,Liheng; Meng,Quanfei; Chen,Yingming; Zhang,Zhaohui; Sun,Haixing; Deng,Demao

doi:10.3892/etm.2013.993

Preliminary use of a double‑echo pulse sequence with 3D ultrashort echo time in the MRI of bones and joints

Authors:
- Liheng Ma
- Quanfei Meng
- Yingming Chen
- Zhaohui Zhang
- Haixing Sun
- Demao Deng
View Affiliations

Affiliations: The Medical Diagnostic Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China, Department of Radiology, The First Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530023, P.R. China
Published online on: March 7, 2013 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2013.993
Pages: 1471-1475

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Metrics: Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Cited By (CrossRef): 0 citations Loading Articles...

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the application of a double‑echo pulse sequence with 3D ultrashort echo time (UTE) in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of bones and joints. In total, 7 healthy volunteers and 1 volunteer with a suspected tear of the lateral meniscus of the left knee joint underwent MRI with a double‑echo pulse sequence and 3D UTE. The imaging was performed on the tibial diaphysis, knee joint and ankle of the volunteers and on a segment of porcine fibula in vitro. The echo time of echo 1 (TE1) of the UTE images for the achilles tendon of the ankle joint were set as 0.08, 0.16, 0.24 and 0.35 msec. The maximum intensity projection (MIP) of the difference images created from the primary double‑echo images with a TE1 of 0.08 msec were performed on the tendons of the ankle to display their 3D structure. The data were analyzed with a one‑way ANOVA and paired‑sample t‑test. The 3D distribution of the tendons was displayed through MIPs of the difference images created from the primary double‑echo images. The cortical bones, periosteum, tendons and menisci of the 8 volunteers appeared as high signal intensities in the UTE pulse sequence. Multiplanar reconstruction followed by subtraction of the primary double‑echo images raised the image signal‑to‑noise (S/N) ratio from 2.80±0.75 to 3.76±0.88 (t=‑4.851, P<0.01). The artifacts appeared more marked as the TE1 was prolonged. A double pulse sequence MRI with 3D UTE may display the short T2 components which are not displayed with a conventional clinical MRI sequence, therefore creating a basis for the further quantification of these tissues.

View Figures

View References

1.	Du J, Bydder M, Takahashi AM and Chung CB: Two-dimensional ultrashort echo time imaging using a spiral trajectory. Magn Reson Imaging. 26:304–312. 2008. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
2.	Fernández-Seara MA, Wehrli SL and Wehrli FW: Multipoint mapping of semi-solid materials. J Magn Reson. 160:144–150. 2003.
3.	Wu Y, Ackerman JL, Chesler DA, Graham L, Wang Y and Glimcher MJ: Density of organic matrix of native mineralized bone measured by water- and fat-suppressed proton projection MRI. Magn Reson Med. 50:59–68. 2003. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
4.	Gatehouse PD and Bydder GM: Magnetic resonance imaging of short T2 components in tissue. Clin Radiol. 58:1–19. 2003. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
5.	Henkelman RM, Stanisz GJ and Graham SJ: Magnetization transfer in MRI: a review. NMR Biomed. 14:57–64. 2001. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
6.	Robson MD, Gatehouse PD, Bydder M and Bydder GM: Magnetic resonance: an introduction to ultrashort TE (UTE) imaging. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 27:825–846. 2003. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
7.	Fenrich FR, Beaulieu C and Allen PS: Relaxation times and microstructures. NMR Biomed. 14:133–139. 2001. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
8.	Robson MD and Bydder GM: Clinical ultrashort echo time imaging of bone and other connective tissues. NMR Biomed. 19:765–780. 2006. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
9.	Bergin CJ, Pauly JM and Macovski A: Lung parenchyma: projection reconstruction MR imaging. Radiology. 179:771–781. 1991. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
10.	Bergin CJ, Noll DC, Pauly JM, Glover GH and Macovski A: MR imaging of lung parenchyma: a solution to susceptibility. Radiology. 183:673–676. 1992. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
11.	Gold GE, Pauly JM, Macovski A and Herfkens RJ: MR spectroscopic imaging of collagen: tendons and knee menisci. Magn Reson Med. 34:647–654. 1995. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
12.	Nielsen HT, Gold GE, Olcott EW, Pauly JM and Nishimura DG: Ultra-short echo-time 2D time-of-flight MR angiography using a half-pulse excitation. Magn Reson Med. 41:591–599. 1999. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
13.	Waldman A, Rees JH, Brock CS, Robson MD, Gatehouse PD and Bydder GM: MRI of the brain with ultra-short echo-time pulse sequences. Neuroradiology. 45:887–892. 2003. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
14.	Gatehouse PD, He T, Puri BK, Thomas RD, Resnick D and Bydder GM: Contrast-enhanced MRI of the menisci of the knee using ultrashort echo time (UTE) pulse sequences: imaging of the red and white zones. Br J Radiol. 77:641–647. 2004. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
15.	Brittain JH, Shankaranarayanan A, Ramanan V, et al: Ultra-Short TE imaging with single-digit (8 microsecond) TE. In: Proceedings of the 12th Annual Meeting of ISMRM; Kyoto, Japan. pp. 6292004
16.	Benjamin M, Toumi H, Ralphs JR, Bydder G, Best TM and Milz S: Where tendons and ligaments meet bone: attachment sites (‘entheses’) in relation to exercise and/or mechanical load. J Anat. 208:471–490. 2006.PubMed/NCBI
17.	McGonagle D: Diagnosis and treatment of enthesitis. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 29:549–560. 2003. View Article : Google Scholar
18.	McGonagle D, Benjamin M, Marzo-Ortega H and Emery P: Advances in the understanding of entheseal inflammation. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 4:500–506. 2002. View Article : Google Scholar
19.	Gatehouse PD, Thomas RW, Robson MD, Hamilton G, Herlihy AH and Bydder GM: Magnetic resonance imaging of the knee with ultrashort TE pulse sequences. Magn Reson Imaging. 22:1061–1067. 2004. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
20.	Du J, Carl M, Bydder M, Takahashi A, Chung CB and Bydder GM: Qualitative and quantitative ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging of cortical bone. J Magn Reson. 207:304–311. 2010. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
21.	Anumula S, Wehrli SL, Magland J, Wright AC and Wehrli FW: Ultra-short echo-time MRI detects changes in bone mineralization and water content in OVX rat bone in response to alendronate treatment. Bone. 46:1391–1399. 2010. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
22.	Williams A, Qian Y, Bear D and Chu CR: Assessing degeneration of human articular cartilage with ultra-short echo time (UTE) T2^* mapping. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 18:539–546. 2010. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
23.	Williams A, Qian Y, Chu CR and Bowers M: In vivo MRI UTE-T2^* is elevated in both torn and surface intact human menisci of anterior cruciate ligament injured knees. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 19:S11–S12. 2011.
24.	Du J, Carl M, Bae WC, et al: Dual inversion recovery ultrashort echo time (DIR-UTE) imaging and quantification of the zone of calcified cartilage (ZCC). Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 21:77–85. 2013. View Article : Google Scholar : PubMed/NCBI
25.	Holmes JE and Bydder GM: MR imaging with ultrashort TE (UTE) pulse sequences: Basic principles. Radiography. 11:163–174. 2005. View Article : Google Scholar