Postoperative MRI in cranio-maxillofacial and oral reconstruction: A prospective comparative pilot study on artifact reduction - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #MRI artifact reduction
- #Cranio-maxillofacial surgery
- #Postoperative imaging
- The study evaluates five MRI artifact reduction protocols (UTE, SEMAC, Dark Bone, DESS, STIR) in cranio-maxillofacial and oral reconstruction patients.
- Eighteen patients underwent MRI within 48 hours post-surgery, assessing image quality, artifact extent, and tissue visualization on a 5-point scale.
- UTE and SEMAC protocols showed the highest image quality with minimal artifacts and accurate depiction of peri-osteosynthesis tissues.
- STIR provided intermediate performance with good fat suppression and soft-tissue contrast, while Dark Bone and DESS had higher artifact prevalence.
- Inter- and intra-observer reliability was substantial to perfect (κ = 0.71-1.0), confirming protocol effectiveness across different fracture locations and implant types.
- Modern MRI techniques like UTE and SEMAC improve postoperative imaging, aiding in complication assessment and follow-up in cranio-maxillofacial surgery.