Thoracic Spine Comp

coverage for a sagittal T spine

pedicle to pedicle
half of C6 to end of conus (all of L2)

what if no axials are needed and we are giving contrast what sequence should you run?

we always run axials.????

what if a c spine and t spine are ordered separately w/wo for MS, lesion, or syrinx. what protocol should you run?

MS- spinal cord combines c and t

what is the purpose of putting pills under the pt for a T spine exam?

for the radiologist to be able to count vertebrae

best scan for MS, infection, fx and bony mets?

STIR

why do we run Sag T2

HNPs, cord pathology, DDD, lesions

why do we run sag STIR

compression fx, infection, MS plaques on cord

why do we run Sag T1

HNPs, cord pathology, DDD, contrast sensitive

why H-F on Sag and R-L on Axials

sag because: breathing motion won’t go into the cord if head to foot???????????

axial because: breathing motion will not go in the cord if the image is acquired right to left

ideal placement of SAT bands for axials

alongside the lungs

what if the indication is scoliosis, what do you run?

add coronal T2?

what do we add for hx of NF2/NF1

cor stir

if you change your FOV what other parameter should be considered

slice thickness

what is different about the MS T-Spine protocol

we run a Vibe Post and for axials we keep them perpendicular to the cord in one package

what do you run for CSK leak

Sag T2 Space

How to provide metal reduction (blooming and pileup artefacts)

Triple bandwidth
Increase an average
Reduce TE
Increase Turbo factor
Increase resolution and increase matrix size but keep voxels the same and lower slice thickness
Optimize phase encoding direction to be perpendicular to the metal because parallel causes more of a blooming artefact

VAT and Warp in scanner
Larger % of VAT will lower signal

If only have VAT 3x the bandwidth and 50% VAT

NO FAT SAT Sequences!!!!!