Image degradation related to metal prostheses/implants
Magnetic susceptibility
Partial magnetization of material in presence of applied external magnetic field
Nonferromagnetic metals may produce local electrical currents induced by changing scanner magnetic field
Tissues with greatly different magnetic susceptibilities in uniform magnetic field leads to
Difference of susceptibilities causes distortion in magnetic field → distortion on MR
Magnetic susceptibility artifact consists of 2 additive components
Geometric distortion + signal loss secondary to dephasing
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nonvascular Interventions
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Chiang IC et al: Benefits and pitfalls of iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL) imaging in clinical application of the cervical spine MR. Clin Radiol. 74(1):78.e13-21, 2019
Katsura M et al: Current and novel techniques for metal artifact reduction at CT: practical guide for radiologists. Radiographics. 38(2):450-61, 2018
Wellenberg RHH et al: Metal artifact reduction techniques in musculoskeletal CT-imaging. Eur J Radiol. 107:60-9, 2018
Hakky M et al: Application of basic physics principles to clinical neuroradiology: differentiating artifacts from true pathology on MRI. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 201(2):369-77, 2013
Stradiotti P et al: Metal-related artifacts in instrumented spine. Techniques for reducing artifacts in CT and MRI: state of the art. Eur Spine J. 18 Suppl 1:102-8, 2009
Lee MJ et al: Overcoming artifacts from metallic orthopedic implants at high-field-strength MR imaging and multi-detector CT. Radiographics. 27(3):791-803, 2007
Buckwalter KA et al: Multichannel CT imaging of orthopedic hardware and implants. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 10(1):86-97, 2006
Chang SD et al: MRI of spinal hardware: comparison of conventional T1-weighted sequence with a new metal artifact reduction sequence. Skeletal Radiol. 30(4):213-8, 2001
Viano AM et al: Improved MR imaging for patients with metallic implants. Magn Reson Imaging. 18(3):287-95, 2000
Henk CB et al: The postoperative spine. Top Magn Reson Imaging. 10(4):247-64, 1999
Rudisch A et al: Metallic artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging of patients with spinal fusion. A comparison of implant materials and imaging sequences. Spine. 23(6):692-9, 1998
Suh JS et al: Minimizing artifacts caused by metallic implants at MR imaging: experimental and clinical studies. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 171(5):1207-13, 1998
Taber KH et al: Pitfalls and artifacts encountered in clinical MR imaging of the spine. Radiographics. 18(6):1499-521, 1998
Wang JC et al: A comparison of magnetic resonance and computed tomographic image quality after the implantation of tantalum and titanium spinal instrumentation. Spine. 23(15):1684-8, 1998
Frazzini VI et al: Internally stabilized spine: optimal choice of frequency-encoding gradient direction during MR imaging minimizes susceptibility artifact from titanium vertebral body screws. Radiology. 204(1):268-72, 1997
Doran SE et al: Internal fixation of the spine using a braided titanium cable: clinical results and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Neurosurgery. 38(3):493-6; discussion 496-7, 1996
Ortiz O et al: Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging with titanium implants of the thoracic and lumbar spine. Neurosurgery. 38(4):741-5, 1996
Petersilge CA et al: Optimizing imaging parameters for MR evaluation of the spine with titanium pedicle screws. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 166(5):1213-8, 1996
Shellock FG: MR imaging and cervical fixation devices: evaluation of ferromagnetism, heating, and artifacts at 1.5 Tesla. Magn Reson Imaging. 14(9):1093-8, 1996
Tominaga T et al: Magnetic resonance imaging of titanium anterior cervical spine plating systems. Neurosurgery. 36(5):951-5, 1995
Tartaglino LM et al: Metallic artifacts on MR images of the postoperative spine: reduction with fast spin-echo techniques. Radiology. 190(2):565-9, 1994
Vaccaro AR et al: Metallic spinal artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging. Spine. 19(11):1237-42, 1994
Toro VE et al: MR artifacts after anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion: a cadaver study. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 17(5):696-9, 1993
Yoshino MT et al: Metallic postoperative artifacts on cervical MR. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 14(3):747-9, 1993
Peterman SB et al: Magnetic resonance artifact in the postoperative cervical spine. A potential pitfall. Spine. 16(7):721-5, 1991
Related Anatomy
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Related Differential Diagnoses
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
TERMINOLOGY
Synonyms
CT: Beam-hardening artifact and blooming artifact
MR: Magnetic susceptibility artifact
Definitions
Image degradation related to metal prostheses/implants
Magnetic susceptibility
Partial magnetization of material in presence of applied external magnetic field
Nonferromagnetic metals may produce local electrical currents induced by changing scanner magnetic field
Tissues with greatly different magnetic susceptibilities in uniform magnetic field leads to
Difference of susceptibilities causes distortion in magnetic field → distortion on MR
Magnetic susceptibility artifact consists of 2 additive components
Geometric distortion + signal loss secondary to dephasing
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nonvascular Interventions
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Chiang IC et al: Benefits and pitfalls of iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL) imaging in clinical application of the cervical spine MR. Clin Radiol. 74(1):78.e13-21, 2019
Katsura M et al: Current and novel techniques for metal artifact reduction at CT: practical guide for radiologists. Radiographics. 38(2):450-61, 2018
Wellenberg RHH et al: Metal artifact reduction techniques in musculoskeletal CT-imaging. Eur J Radiol. 107:60-9, 2018
Hakky M et al: Application of basic physics principles to clinical neuroradiology: differentiating artifacts from true pathology on MRI. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 201(2):369-77, 2013
Stradiotti P et al: Metal-related artifacts in instrumented spine. Techniques for reducing artifacts in CT and MRI: state of the art. Eur Spine J. 18 Suppl 1:102-8, 2009
Lee MJ et al: Overcoming artifacts from metallic orthopedic implants at high-field-strength MR imaging and multi-detector CT. Radiographics. 27(3):791-803, 2007
Buckwalter KA et al: Multichannel CT imaging of orthopedic hardware and implants. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 10(1):86-97, 2006
Chang SD et al: MRI of spinal hardware: comparison of conventional T1-weighted sequence with a new metal artifact reduction sequence. Skeletal Radiol. 30(4):213-8, 2001
Viano AM et al: Improved MR imaging for patients with metallic implants. Magn Reson Imaging. 18(3):287-95, 2000
Henk CB et al: The postoperative spine. Top Magn Reson Imaging. 10(4):247-64, 1999
Rudisch A et al: Metallic artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging of patients with spinal fusion. A comparison of implant materials and imaging sequences. Spine. 23(6):692-9, 1998
Suh JS et al: Minimizing artifacts caused by metallic implants at MR imaging: experimental and clinical studies. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 171(5):1207-13, 1998
Taber KH et al: Pitfalls and artifacts encountered in clinical MR imaging of the spine. Radiographics. 18(6):1499-521, 1998
Wang JC et al: A comparison of magnetic resonance and computed tomographic image quality after the implantation of tantalum and titanium spinal instrumentation. Spine. 23(15):1684-8, 1998
Frazzini VI et al: Internally stabilized spine: optimal choice of frequency-encoding gradient direction during MR imaging minimizes susceptibility artifact from titanium vertebral body screws. Radiology. 204(1):268-72, 1997
Doran SE et al: Internal fixation of the spine using a braided titanium cable: clinical results and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Neurosurgery. 38(3):493-6; discussion 496-7, 1996
Ortiz O et al: Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging with titanium implants of the thoracic and lumbar spine. Neurosurgery. 38(4):741-5, 1996
Petersilge CA et al: Optimizing imaging parameters for MR evaluation of the spine with titanium pedicle screws. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 166(5):1213-8, 1996
Shellock FG: MR imaging and cervical fixation devices: evaluation of ferromagnetism, heating, and artifacts at 1.5 Tesla. Magn Reson Imaging. 14(9):1093-8, 1996
Tominaga T et al: Magnetic resonance imaging of titanium anterior cervical spine plating systems. Neurosurgery. 36(5):951-5, 1995
Tartaglino LM et al: Metallic artifacts on MR images of the postoperative spine: reduction with fast spin-echo techniques. Radiology. 190(2):565-9, 1994
Vaccaro AR et al: Metallic spinal artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging. Spine. 19(11):1237-42, 1994
Toro VE et al: MR artifacts after anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion: a cadaver study. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 17(5):696-9, 1993
Yoshino MT et al: Metallic postoperative artifacts on cervical MR. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 14(3):747-9, 1993
Peterman SB et al: Magnetic resonance artifact in the postoperative cervical spine. A potential pitfall. Spine. 16(7):721-5, 1991
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