Fat suppression in contrast-enhanced MRT of the base of the skull and of the head-neck area: its clinical value

Abstract

167 patients with abnormalities at the skull base and at the cervical-skull junction were examined by MRT in order to compare a FATSAT technique with T1- and T2-weighted SE sequences before and after intravenous injection of 0.1 mmol Gd-DTPA/kg KG. The diagnostic information from corresponding FATSAT and T1-SE sequences was correlated with the histopathological findings. In 10.7% of patients fat suppression was inadequate and in a further 11.3% of patients chemical shift artifacts limited the diagnostic value. The number of detectable lesions was not increased by the use of FATSAT sequences but visualisation of soft tissue lesions was improved, adding to the diagnostic value under specific conditions. Evaluating by the Friedman and Wilcoxon test showed that the postcontrast FATSAT sequences were markedly superior (p < 0.01) in delineating and contrasting the lesions. The additional use of contrast enhanced FATSAT sequences resulted in improved diagnosis of lesions at the skull base and the facial skeleton.