MRI: Magnet Strength
In the absence of reliable evidence, it is the opinion of the work group that a magnet of at least 1.5 Tesla should be used when imaging musculoskeletal neoplasms.
Use of Imaging Prior to Referral to a Musculoskeletal Oncologist
Developed by the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society
Rationale
No investigations directly compare the diagnostic performance of different magnet strengths on the same tumors, limiting the statements that can be made regarding whether increasing strength of the magnet improves diagnostic performance. However, strong evidence including several high and moderate quality investigations (Henninger, Crombe, Thornhill, Daniel, and Negendank) have demonstrated a strong sensitivity and specificity for differentiating between benign and malignant etiologies when imaging the tumor with a 1.5T magnet strength (1.5T magnets are widely available and are known to provide good quality images), when compared with the gold standard of histologic diagnosis. 1.5T was the most commonly used magnet strength in the literature, however, these several moderate strength studies demonstrated less accurate diagnostic results for 1.5T magnet strength compared to stronger magnets (Chen, Kalayanarooj).
- Crombe,A.; Alberti,N.; Stoeckle,E.; Brouste,V.; Buy,X.; Coindre,J.M.; Kind,M. Soft tissue masses with myxoid stroma: Can conventional magnetic resonance imaging differentiate benign from malignant tumors?
- Daniel,A.,Jr.; Ullah,E.; Wahab,S.; Kumar,V.,Jr. Relevance of MRI in prediction of malignancy of musculoskeletal system--a prospective evaluation
- Henninger,B.; Glodny,B.; Rudisch,A.; Trieb,T.; Loizides,A.; Putzer,D.; Judmaier,W.; Schocke,M.F. Ewing sarcoma versus osteomyelitis: differential diagnosis with magnetic resonance imaging
- Kalayanarooj,S. Benign and malignant soft tissue mass: magnetic resonance imaging criteria for discrimination
- Negendank,W.G.; Crowley,M.G.; Ryan,J.R.; Keller,N.A.; Evelhoch,J.L. Bone and soft-tissue lesions: diagnosis with combined H-1 MR imaging and P-31 MR spectroscopy
- Thornhill,R.E.; Golfam,M.; Sheikh,A.; Cron,G.O.; White,E.A.; Werier,J.; Schweitzer,M.E.; Di,Primio G. Differentiation of lipoma from liposarcoma on MRI using texture and shape analysis