Metallic Artifact Reduction of Multiacquisition With Variable Resonance Image Combination Selective–Short Tau Inversion Recovery for Postoperative Cervical Spine With Artificial Disk Replacement: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate multiacquisition with variable resonance image combination selective short tau inversion recovery (MAVRIC SL STIR) for metallic artifact reduction in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of postoperative cervical spine with artificial disk replacement.Methods: A porcine cervical spine with artificial disk replacement was subject to 3 T MRI with variable fat-suppressed fluid-sensitive sequences. Five volunteers underwent MRI with MAVRIC SL STIR and STIR. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed for metallic artifact reduction.Results: MAVRIC SL STIR showed the least signal void areas in the tissue phantom and volunteer study. In the tissue phantom study, MAVRIC SL STIR showed the best visualization of anatomic structure, least distortion, and signal pile-up. However, it ranked last for the homogeneity of fat suppression among sequences. In the volunteer study, MAVRIC SL STIR showed better visualization of anatomic structure and lesser distortion, but showed worse image quality of the spinal cord than STIR in the sagittal plane ( P < 0.05).Conclusions: MAVRIC SL STIR might be useful for visualization of anatomy by reduction of signal void areas and distortion in the operated site but should be used as a complement to STIR for evaluation of the spinal cord signal change.

Multiacquisition with variable resonance image combination T2 (MAVRIC SL T2) for postoperative cervical spine with artificial disc replacement

“…A 4-point scoring system was used for evaluation of geometric distortion and signal pile-up (Table 5 ) 4 . Distortion was defined as changed or impaired anatomic allocation around the prosthesis 4 .…”

“…A 4-point scoring system was used for evaluation of geometric distortion and signal pile-up (Table 5 ) 4 . Distortion was defined as changed or impaired anatomic allocation around the prosthesis 4 . Signal pile-up were defined as a peripheral rim of high signal intensity around the prosthesis 4 .…”

“…Distortion was defined as changed or impaired anatomic allocation around the prosthesis 4 . Signal pile-up were defined as a peripheral rim of high signal intensity around the prosthesis 4 .…”

“…Multiacquisition with variable resonance image combination selective (MAVRIC SL) have been developed for metallic artifact reduction. Our previous study demonstrated short tau inversion recovery (STIR) using MAVRIC SL technique is significantly decreased metallic artifact of the artificial disc instrument comparing with STIR without MAVRIC SL 4 . Therefore, we wondered whether fast spin echo T2 weighted sequence combined with MAVRIC SL (MAVRIC SL T2) can also replace fast spin echo T2 weighted sequence with superior metallic artifact reduction for the postoperative cervical spine with ADR 4 .…”

“…Our previous study demonstrated short tau inversion recovery (STIR) using MAVRIC SL technique is significantly decreased metallic artifact of the artificial disc instrument comparing with STIR without MAVRIC SL 4 . Therefore, we wondered whether fast spin echo T2 weighted sequence combined with MAVRIC SL (MAVRIC SL T2) can also replace fast spin echo T2 weighted sequence with superior metallic artifact reduction for the postoperative cervical spine with ADR 4 . The purpose of our study was to evaluate MAVRIC SL T2 for metallic artifact reduction in MRI in the postoperative assessment of the cervical spine with ADR compared with the fast spin echo (FSE) T2-weighted sequence (T2WI).…”