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Sacroiliac Joints(SIJ) MRI Protocols and Planning

Indications of sacroiliac joints MRI

Contraindications

Patient preparation for sacroiliac joints MRI

Positioning for sacroiliac joints MRI

Suggested protocols, parameters and planning

sacroiliac joints MRI Localizer

A three-plane localizer must be taken at the beginning to localize and plan the sequences. Localizers typically take less than 25 seconds and are T1-weighted with low resolution.

T2 stir coronal oblique 3mm SFOV

Plan the coronal oblique slices on the sagittal plane; angle the positioning block parallel to the sacrum. Check the positioning block in the other two planes. An appropriate angle must be given in the axial plane (parallel to the sacral ala). Slices must be sufficient to cover the whole sacroiliac joints. The phase direction must be right to left with 100% oversampling to avoid wrap-around artifacts from breathing.

Parameters

TR

4000-5000

TE

110

FLIP

150

NEX

2

SLICE

3MM

MATRIX

320X256

FOV

200-270

PHASE

R>L

GAP

10%

TI

150

T1 tse coronal oblique 3mm SFOV

Plan the coronal oblique slices on the sagittal plane; angle the positioning block parallel to the sacrum. Check the positioning block in the other two planes. An appropriate angle must be given in the axial plane (parallel to the sacral ala). Slices must be sufficient to cover the whole sacroiliac joints. The phase direction must be right to left with 100% oversampling to avoid wrap-around artifacts from breathing.

Parameters

TR

400-600

TE

15-25

SLICE

3 MM

FLIP

150

PHASE

R>L

MATRIX

320X320

FOV

200-270

GAP

10%

NEX(AVRAGE)

2

T2 stir axial oblique 3mm SFOV

Plan the axial oblique slices on the sagittal plane; angle the positioning block perpendicular to the sacrum. Check the positioning block in the other two planes. An appropriate angle must be given in the coronal plane (perpendicular to the sacrum). Slices must be sufficient to cover the whole sacroiliac joints. Adding saturation bands in front of the axial block will reduce artifacts from breathing and peristalsis.

Parameters

TR

4000-5000

TE

110

FLIP

160

NEX

2

SLICE

3MM

MATRIX

320X256

FOV

200-270

PHASE

R>L

GAP

10%

TI

150

Very rarely do sacroiliac joint scans require contrast-enhanced imaging. If contrast-enhanced sacroiliac joint imaging is necessary, use T1 TSE Fat saturated small FOV axial and coronal oblique scans after administering IV gadolinium DTPA injection (refer to the planning outlined above). The document below provides access to the manufacturer's recommended dosage of gadolinium DTPA injection.

CLICK THE SEQUENCES BELOW TO CHECK THE SCANS