Diagnostic performance of 3D TSE MRI versus 2D TSE MRI of the knee at 1.5 T, with prompt arthroscopic correlation, in the detection of meniscal and cruciate ligament tears

Francisco Abaeté Chagas-Neto,Marcello Henrique Nogueira-Barbosa,Maurício Kfuri-Junior,Mário Müller Lorenzato,Michel Daoud Crema,Rodrigo Salim

doi:10.1590/0100-3984.2015.0042

Abstract

ObjectiveTo compare the diagnostic performance of the three-dimensional turbo spin-echo (3D TSE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique with the performance of the standard two-dimensional turbo spin-echo (2D TSE) protocol at 1.5 T, in the detection of meniscal and ligament tears.Materials and MethodsThirty-eight patients were imaged twice, first with a standard multiplanar 2D TSE MR technique, and then with a 3D TSE technique, both in the same 1.5 T MRI scanner. The patients underwent knee arthroscopy within the first three days after the MRI. Using arthroscopy as the reference standard, we determined the diagnostic performance and agreement.ResultsFor detecting anterior cruciate ligament tears, the 3D TSE and routine 2D TSE techniques showed similar values for sensitivity (93% and 93%, respectively) and specificity (80% and 85%, respectively). For detecting medial meniscal tears, the two techniques also had similar sensitivity (85% and 83%, respectively) and specificity (68% and 71%, respectively). In addition, for detecting lateral meniscal tears, the two techniques had similar sensitivity (58% and 54%, respectively) and specificity (82% and 92%, respectively). There was a substantial to almost perfect intraobserver and interobserver agreement when comparing the readings for both techniques.ConclusionThe 3D TSE technique has a diagnostic performance similar to that of the routine 2D TSE protocol for detecting meniscal and anterior cruciate ligament tears at 1.5 T, with the advantage of faster acquisition.

Highlights

Routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols for the knee often use fluid-sensitive sequences based on twodimensional (2D) acquisitions, acquired in three orthogonal planes
The number of positive findings detected by each reader in each MRI technique is presented in Table 2, as is the number of positive findings detected by arthroscopy
Three-dimensional MRI sequences obtained with isotropic or nearly isotropic resolution techniques can be manipulated to provide high-resolution multiplanar reconstructions

Summary

Introduction

Routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols for the knee often use fluid-sensitive sequences based on twodimensional (2D) acquisitions, acquired in three orthogonal planes (coronal, axial, and sagittal). Three-dimensional (3D) turbo spin-echo (TSE) MRI with isotropic or nearly isotropic resolution techniques has the potential to improve the depiction of pathology by reducing partial volume averaging as well as time efficiency of the MRI use in the musculoskeletal system[1,4,5,6,7] Such volumetric acquisitions may be used in order to create multiplanar reconstructions, thereby eliminating the need to repeat sequences, providing spin-echo tissue contrast in different planes. The acquisition of source images is faster with 3D TSE than with the triplanar 2D TSE protocol[1,4,5,6,7]

Methods

Results

Conclusion