Seminars in musculoskeletal radiology
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Semin Musculoskelet Radiol · Sep 2009
Comparative StudyPediatric musculoskeletal imaging at 3 Tesla.
High signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the ability to acquire high-resolution thin section images are major advantages of 3 Tesla (T) that benefit musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging. Use of 3 T for pediatric MSK imaging is still in its early phase, and actual clinical benefits are not yet clear. However, initial reports in adult and our experience suggest that 3 T is better in imaging cartilage and small joints. ⋯ It shows cartilage, ligaments, and nerves better. After optimization, overall examination time is shorter at 3 T, which has the potential to reduce the need for sedation and increase throughput. 3-T imaging has the potential to improve small lesion evaluation and tumor staging, and it can be used for whole-body screening for metastasis. We discuss the technical differences, artifacts, and safety issues of 3 T, followed by our initial clinical experience with illustrative examples in pediatric MSK imaging at 3 T.