Cutting Corners or a New Standard?: Increasing Scarcity of T1 Data Sets

The technological innovation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is ongoing and necessitates recurring reevaluation of appropriateness standards. As evidenced by current standards, T1 data sets provide an essential role to musculoskeletal imaging. According to a recent survey, T1 data sets are increasingly underutilized. This article discusses common and less commonly recognized T1 data set utility. It is suggested that a single non-fat-suppressed T1 data set (in any plane) continues to be standard in routine MRI musculoskeletal imaging. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 25(3):187–194, 2016)

Key words: ACR appropriateness standards, fatty degeneration, hemorrhage, infection, marrow, musculoskeletal MRI, pseudoscar, spatial resolution, T1 data sets, therapeutic decision making, tumor