Table 1
Comparisons of SI, SNR, CNR and CR between 3D-STIR-VISTA without and with contrast agent (CA).
| IMAGES WITHOUT CA | IMAGES WITH CA | P VALUE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SI of brachial plexus | 397.51 ± 58.76 | 395.16 ± 54.89 | 0.873 |
| SI of surrounding tissue | 190.69 ± 33.94 | 120.94 ± 16.54 | <0.001 |
| SNR of brachial plexus | 60.51 ± 16.59 | 58.27 ± 15.65 | 0.593 |
| SNR of surrounding tissue | 28.86 ± 7.66 | 23.91 ± 4.34 | <0.001 |
| CNR | 31.69 ± 10.6 | 57.54 ± 13.87 | <0.001 |
| CR | 0.33 ± 0.05 | 0.58 ± 0.09 | <0.001 |
Figure 1
SIs of surrounding tissues were significantly decreased after contrast agent, whereas that in the brachial plexus was not.
Figure 2
SNRs of surrounding tissues were significantly decreased after contrast agent, whereas that in the brachial plexus was not.
Figure 3
CNR was significantly increased after contrast agent in the 3D-STIR-VISTA sequence.
Figure 4
CR was significantly increased after contrast agent in the 3D-STIR-VISTA sequence.
Table 2
Scores for 3D-STIR-VISTA images without and with contrast agent (CA).
| SCORE | IMAGES WITHOUT CA | IMAGES WITH CA |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 24 |
| 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | 15 | 0 |
| 2 | 14 | 0 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 30 | 30 |
| Mean | 2.5 ± 0.57 | 4.8 ± 0.41 |
Figure 5
3D-STIR-VISTA (A) and contrast-enhanced image (B) of normal brachial plexus. A.) The boundary of the brachial plexus was not very clearly visualized due to interference by the veins, lymph nodes and other surrounding tissues. B.) The signals of adjacent muscles, veins, lymph nodes were suppressed on the contrast-enhanced images. Outlines of the brachial plexus became sharp, and the roots, trunks, divisions and cords could be completely and continuously displayed.
Figure 6
3D-STIR-VISTA image (A) and contrast-enhanced image (B) of brachial plexus injury. A.) 3D-STIR-VISTA showed the soft tissue of left shoulder got serious contusion and swollen, and the continuity of C5~8 brachial plexus was lost. B.) The contrast-enhanced 3D-STIR-VISTA clearly showed the damage of the brachial plexus with increased and discontinuous signals.