Skip to content
General
- There is one basic protocol that is applicable to the majority of cases
- Indications
- Mediastinal mass characterization (vast majority)
- Nodule follow-up (mainly large nodules suspected to be hamartomas)
- Any indication other than mediastinal mass should be investigated
- There are a number of additional sequences that can be helpful in varying situations
- Below is a basic overview of some of the sequences and what they can be used for
- True FISP 3 plane: Anatomic overview but not tissue characterization
- HASTE: Characterization of T2 signal
- Axial in and out of phase: Identify microscopic fat
- Predominantly used in differentiation of normal thymus/thymic hyperplasia from thymic neoplasms
- Diffusion
- VIBE pre-contrast: Intrinsic T1 characterization and allows subtraction with post-contrast images
- VIBE post-contrast: Contrast enhancement; Usually acquired at 1 and 3 minutes
- Subtraction VIBE
Back to top