[MRI of intraosseous fistulous systems and sequesters in chronic osteomyelitis with standard spin echo sequences, highly selective chemical-shift imaging, diffusion weighted imaging, and magnetization-transfer]. / MRT-Darstellung intraossärer Sequester und Fistelsysteme bei chronischer Osteomyelitis durch Standardsequenzen, hochselektive Chemical-Shift-Bildgebung, Diffusionsgewichtung und Magnetisierungstransfer.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To study and test the impact of modern MRI techniques in diagnostic imaging in the evaluation of intra-osseous fistulous systems and sequesters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective study, nine patients with chronic osteomyelitis of the legs were examined by MRI. Patients with clinical signs of osteomyelitis requiring surgery were included in the study. T1-weighted spin echo (SE) sequences, proton density (PD) and T2-weighted fast spin echo (FSE) sequences, water- and fat-selective FSE sequences, and diffusion weighted (DW) PSIF sequences were used preoperatively. Furthermore, magnetizing transfer (MT) with gradient echo (GRE) sequences was evaluated. RESULTS: Water selective sequences revealed the highest sensitivity for the detection of fistulas (100%), providing the best delineation of the extent of the entire fistulous systems. Fat-selective sequences (sensitivity 55.6%) and T1-weighted sequences (sensitivity 77.8%) displayed fistulas as hypointense bands, which, however, cannot be well differentiated from cortical bone in the transcortical areas. PD and T2-weighted images were found to have a poor sensitivity (55.6% and 66.7%) for fistulas in any location. The sensitivity of water-selective sequences to demonstrate intraosseous sequesters was 100%. The sensitivity was low for the other sequences. In 4 of 5 patients with surgically proven infection, DW and MT revealed an abnormal spatial distribution, with high diffusion in the central parts of the fistulas and high MT effect peripherally surrounding a weak MT effect centrally. CONCLUSION: Water-selective sequences are superior when demonstrating fistulous systems and intraosseous sequesters. The combined use of MT and DW sequences seems to allow a differentiation between solid granulation tissue and liquid pus.