A comparison of 2-D and 3-D FSE imaging in MR of the cervical spine.

The aim of the study was to assess whether a 3-D FSE sequence with real-time multiplanar reconstruction could replace our standard 2-D imaging of the cervical spine. MRI was performed on a GE Vectra 0.5 T system using a quadrature surface neck coil. Signal intensity of CSF, spinal cord, surrounding tissue and background were measured. Contrast to noise ratio and contrast between the different tissues was calculated for the different sequences. A subjective assessment of the various lesions was made. No statistical difference in tissue contrast was found between 2-D and 3-D images when the contrast between cord and CSF, or between cord and marrow was calculated. Contrast between cord and marrow was better on 3-D images. The contrast to noise ratio was better on 2-D images compared with the 3-D images for both cord/CSF and CSF/marrow but there was no difference between the 2-D and 3-D images for cord/marrow. In three patients the lesion was better demonstrated on the 3-D sequence than on the 2-D combination, but only in one of these was the abnormality not visible on the 2-D images; in six patients the 2-D images were considered superior. Although the 3-D sequence reduced overall imaging time we found that at 0.5 T contrast was inadequate, and that lesions were less clearly demonstrated than on the 2-D sequences. We conclude that a single 3-D sequence cannot satisfactorily replace the 2-D combination routinely used at 0.5 T.