Purpose or Case Report: To compare image quality ratings between 3D gradient echo mDIXON (GRE) vs. 2D turbo-spin-echo mDIXON (TSE) in pediatric patients with osteomyelitis.
Methods & Materials: Twenty patients were included in this study. They were imaged with both 3D GRE and 2D TSE after Gadolinium contrast injection. All exams were performed on 3 Tesla Philips Ingenia platforms. All images were retrospectively and independently reviewed by two board certified pediatric body radiologists to compare the conspicuity of lesion borders and quality of fat suppression. The following rating scale was used. -1: GRE superior to TSE, 0: GRE similar to TSE, and 1: TSE superior to GRE. Each radiologist also commented on whether the new GRE approach was “acceptable” or “unacceptable” for diagnostic use.
Results: 10 female and 10 male patients (average age: 11y, range: 6m to 17y) were involved. No 3D GRE images were deemed unacceptable for diagnostic use by either radiologist. For delineation of lesion borders and fat suppression, Radiologist 1 (attending) preferred GRE over TSE in 12 cases, while Radiologist 2 (fellow) preferred GRE in 15 cases. The attending radiologist deemed GRE and TSE similar in 5 cases, while TSE was preferred in the remaining 3 cases. Radiologist 2 preferred TSE in 5 cases.
Conclusions: 3D GRE mDIXON demonstrates clinically acceptable image quality with higher spatial resolution (0.8x0.8x0.8 mm³) and less scan time (0:52) than 2D TSE mDIXON (0.9x0.9x2.5 mm³, 3:51) in a cohort of pediatric patients undergoing osteomyelitis imaging. 3D GRE mDIXON is a viable replacement to 2D mDIXON TSE and may be especially useful in uncooperative patients.