Female pelvis: MR imaging at 3.0 T with sensitivity encoding and flip-angle sweep technique.

Abstract

This study had institutional review board approval; all 33 patients (mean age, 47 years +/- 16 [standard deviation]) gave informed consent. The aim was to prospectively evaluate the diagnostic image quality yielded by a 3.0-T T2-weighted turbo spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging sequence with a very short imaging time versus that yielded by a standard 3.0-T sequence at imaging of the female pelvis. Signal-to-noise ratio and delineation of gynecologic disorders were approximately equal between the two sequences. The majority of tissue contrasts were comparable, but contrast between fluid and muscle was significantly higher and motion artifacts were reduced (P < .001 for both) with the short imaging time sequence. The fast sequence maintained or improved image quality and thus seems to be advantageous for uncooperative patients.