MRI Protocols

The following is a sample of the most commonly performed neuro-MRI studies. They do not include all of the technical parameters but only those that I feel should serve the reader to familiarize himself/herself with them. They are based on what we do on our Siemens equipment and thus may be different from those provided by other manufacturers. Because of the “teaching” nature of our institution, they may be longer than those obtained in other settings.

BRAIN WITHOUT AND WITH CONTRAST

	#SL	PH DIR	FOV	THK	TR	TE	AVG	FLIP	SAT	TI	RES	RES %	BW
Precontrast
AX ADC	24	A/P	230	5	180	122	6		FAT		128	70	1,346
SAG T1	23	A/P	230	5	470	12	1	90			256	100	130
AX T2	26	R/L	230	5	6,860	125	2	150	FAT		512	50	130
AX FLAIR	26	R/L	230	5	8,600	108	1	150		2,400	256	100	130
AX T1	40	R/L	220	3	487	13	2	90			256	80	89
Postcontrast
AX PERF	20	A/P	230	5	100	54	1	60			64	100	1,346
AX T1	40	R/L	220	3	635	17	1	90			256	75	130
COR T1	28	R/L	220	5	400	17	1	90			256	75	130
SAG T1	23	A/P	220	5	400	17	1	90			256	75	130
#SL, number of slices; PH DIR, phase direction; FOV, field of view in millimeters; THK, slice thickness in millimeters; TR, repetition time in milliseconds; TE, echo time in milliseconds; AVG, number of averages; FLIP, flip angle; SAT, type of saturation; TI, inversion time in milliseconds; RES, resolution in phase-encoding direction; RES%, resolution in frequency-encoding direction expressed as percentage of resolution (100% results in rectangular FOV); BW, bandwidth.

NEONATAL BRAIN

	#SL	PH DIR	FOV	THK	TR	TE	AVG	FLIP	SAT	RES	RES%	BW
No contrast
SAG T1	15	A/P	250	3	400	16	3	90		512	50	89
SAG T2 TSE	9	A/P	200	3	4,110	128	3	150		256	100	190
AX T1	15	A/P	250	3	400	16	3	90		512	50	89
SAG HASTE	7	A/P	252	3	1,140	76	2	160		256	84	781
AX T1 FL	18	A/P	300	4	161	2.4	2	70		256	50	400

BRAIN, STROKE

	#SL	PH DIR	FOV	THK	TR	TE	AVG	FLIP	SAT	TI	RES	RES%	BW
Precontrast
AX ADC	24	A/P	230	5	180 ‘	122	6		FAT		128	70	1,346
3D TOF COW	128	R/L	200	0.9	36	6.5	1	25		I	512	50	65
SAG T1	23	A/P	230	5	470	12	1	90			256	100	130
AX T2	26	R/L	230	5	6,860 ‘	125	2	150	FAT		512	50	130
AX FLAIR	26	R/L	230	5	8,600 ‘	108	1	150		2,400	256	100	130
AX T1	26	R/L	230	5	532	12	1	90			256	75	130
AX EPI GRE	20	A/P	230	5	188	88	1		FAT		64	100	752
Postcontrast
AX PERF	20	A/P	230	5	100	54	1	60			64	100	1,346
AX T1	26	R/L	230	5	440	17	1	90			256	75	130
COR T1	28	R/L	220	5	400	17	1	90			256	75	130
SAG T1	23	A/P	220	5	400	17	1	90			256	75	130

BRAIN, TUMOR

	#SL	PH DIR	FOV	THK	TR	TE	AVG	FLIP	SAT	TI	RES	RES%	BW
Precontrast
AX ADC	24	A/P	230	5	180	122	6		FAT		128	70	1,346
SAG T1	23	A/P	230	5	470	12	1	90			256	100	130
AX T2	26	R/L	230	5	6,860	125	2	150	FAT		512	50	130
AX FLAIR	26	R/L	230	5	8,600	108	1	150		2,400	256	100	130
AX T1	40	R/L	220	3	487	13	2	90			256	80	89
AX ASL^*	16	A/P	230	5	187	92	2		FAT		64	100	1,594
Postcontrast
AX PERF^*	20	A/P	230	5	100	54	1	60			64	100	1,346
AX T1	40	R/L	220	3	635	17	1	90			256	75	130
COR T1	28	R/L	220	5	400	17	1	90			256	75	130
SAG T1	23	A/P	220	5	400	17	1	90			256	75	130
^ASL, arterial spin labelled perfusion may be used additionally to contrast enhanced perfusion or as a substitute to it, see specific perfusion protocols.

BRAIN, TRAUMA

	#SL	PH DIR	FOV	THK	TR	TE	AVG	FLIP	SAT	TI	RES	RES%	BW
Precontrast
AX ADC	24	A/P	230	5	180	122	6		FAT		128	70	1,346
SAGT1	23	A/P	230	5	470	12	1	90			256	100	130
AXT2	26	R/L	230	5	6,860	125	2	150	FAT		512	50	130
AX FLAIR	26	R/L	230	5	8,600	108	1	150		2,400	256	100	130
AXT1	26	R/L	230	5	532	12	1	90			256	75	130
AX EPI GRE	20	A/P	230	5	188	88	1		FAT		64	100	752
Postcontrast
AXT1	26	R/L	230	5	440	17	1	90			256	75	130
CORT1	28	R/L	220	5	400	17	1	90			256	75	130
SAGT1	23	A/P	220	5	400	17	1	90			256	75	130
^ASL, arterial spin labelled perfusion, ^see specific perfusion protocols.