Determining the image quality parameters of cervical spine diseases by using 3DT2W TSE MRI sequence for obese patients

Abstract

Objective: The effect of obesity on MRI image quality of the cervical spine is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to examine the image quality for the degenerative diseases of obese patients by using the three-dimensional T2 weighted Turbo Spin Echo (3DT2W TSE) MRI sequence. Patients and Method: Thirty-five patients have been diagnosed with cervical spine degenerative complications. The patients were divided into two groups according to their BMI, the obese and non-obese. The MRI examinations were performed by using 3DT2W TSE sequence which was produced by a 1.5 Tesla Philips scanner MRI device to generate images for the cervical spines (C5-C6, C6-C7). The signal intensities were measured by using the region of interest (ROI) in two tissues being compared. Results: A significant difference was found in the MR image contrast between the obese and non-obese patients (P˂ 0.03) for (C5-C6, C6-C7) and the same result was found specifically with (C6-C7), where (P˂ 0.04). While the other physical measurements were not significantly differed between the two groups. Conclusion: Using of 3DT2W TSE MRI sequence is efficient for the imaging of the cervical spine’s complications of the obese patients.