MR imaging of brain: Comparison between SS-FSE and fast spin-echo T2-weighted pulse sequences

We compared quantitatively and qualitatively a single shot fast spin-echo (SS-FSE) technique with a T2-weighted fast spin-echo (T2-FSE) technique and to determine whether SS-FSE is a valuable alternative to fast SE (FSE) imaging. A total of 41 consecutive patients with brain lesions were retrospectively evaluated. Together with quantitative analysis, contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR), signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), and the percent contrast (%C) were measured for the lesion. Images were evaluated by two radiologists who reached consensus. Visibility (detection), margination and extent of the lesions were rated separately, according to a five-point scale. The mean lesion CNR wets significantly higher on SS-FSE sequences than on fast SE sequences (p=0.0131). The mean lesion %C was also higher on SS-FSE than on T2-FSE sequence (p=0.0222). However, the mean lesion SNR was significantly higher on T2-FSE sequence than on SSFSE sequence (p=0.0222). No significant differences were found in the visibility (detectability) of the lesions between two pulse sequences (p=0.1323). The SSFSE technique is quantitatively superior to T2-FSE for obtaining T2-weighted images of the brain. In comparison with T2-FSE, SS-FSE provides comparable T2-weighted images with sufficient contrast in the evaluation of brain lesions. Our findings suggest that SSFSE may be useful for ill, uncooperative patients, especially for the children patients requiring sedation.