• F J Rybicki, T Chung, J Reid, D Jaramillo, R V Mulkern, and J Ma.
• Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 330 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA.
• AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2001 Nov 1; 177 (5): 1019-23.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to describe and to implement a new fast three-point Dixon MR imaging sequence with online image reconstruction, and to compare this sequence with conventional chemical shift selective (CHESS) suppression of fat in pediatric musculoskeletal imaging.Subjects And MethodsA three-point Dixon technique using a fast spin-echo sequence with a new phase-correction algorithm providing online image reconstruction was implemented on a 1.5-T scanner. Twelve pediatric patients and young adults were imaged with both the new three-point Dixon and conventional CHESS sequences. Three radiologists un-aware of imaging parameters and clinical information independently scored the homogeneity of fat suppression and conspicuity of abnormality using a four-point system. An additional comparison between the two techniques was made using a phantom.ResultsThe three-point Dixon method showed superior fat suppression and lesion conspicuity (p < 0.001), particularly in the hands and feet, where CHESS is prone to inconsistent fat suppression. The phantom study showed no significant difference in the ratio of suppressed fat signal to background noise and more homogeneous fat suppression using the three-point Dixon method.ConclusionCompared with CHESS, the new fast three-point Dixon sequence with online image reconstruction provides superior fat suppression and lesion conspicuity and can be routinely used in pediatric musculoskeletal imaging.

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