Release Date: December 18, 2019
Expiration Date: December 31,2024

Educational Objectives:
At the conclusion of this activity, the learner should be better able to:

Discuss the applications and protocols of Musculo-Skeletal MRI in an effort to improve diagnosis
Understand the use of RF Coils
Understand the importance of having a good working relationship and communication with the radiologist
Discuss patient positioning to optimize imaging and avoid artifacts

Outline:

Review Patient Positioning
- Ideal/Standard positions
- Patient limitations
- Alternate positions
Review Scouts
- How many do you really need?
- Do you run more or reposition the pt?
  - Is it bad positioning (wrist flexed or extended)
  - Is it something that can be fixed by rotating the FOV?
Review Incidental findings
- Do you follow them or not?
Common Tendon/Ligament tears
- Common tears
- Knee vs. Thigh (quad tendon)
- Pectoralis (MRCP sequences)
- Achilles
- Knee ACL/Planning sag.
How do you prepare for the exam
- Iso vs. Fixed table position
- How to position and plan for the worst
  - Will the patient position and coil choice give you the coverage you need or might need?
Which plane is best
- What part of the body are you imaging?
- What is the pathology/injury?
- Where is the pathology/injury?
Optimizing Sequences
- Changing the order of your sequences
FOV Phase, Use it
- Decrease it
  - Helps with time
  - Lose signal
  - Find a balance,
    - increase averages
    - increase phase oversampling
Phase Direction
- When should you change it?
  - Wrist anatomy and phase direction
  - Wrist next to body, how to change phase direction
    - Foot, phase direction H-F or R-L
Radiologist Relationship
- Building a good working relationship is key to knowing and even anticipating what the doctor wants.
- Checking your schedule ahead of time and looking for unique dx or msk injuries will allow you and your radiologist time for proper planning and a better outcome.