Optimizing imaging parameters for MR evaluation of the spine with titanium pedicle screws.

Abstract

Although voxel volume has been recognized as a factor that affects artifact size, the role of other contributing factors--slice thickness, number of phase-encoding steps, and FOV/Nx--has not been evaluated before. Artifact reduction proved to be dependent only on FOV/Nx. Artifact size was reduced by the use of fast spin-echo sequences. With conventional spin-echo sequences, TE should be minimized, although other technical factors may outweigh the gain in artifact reduction.