UEFA Football Research Group MRI Imaging Protocols

These protocols are adapted from the European Society of Skeletal Radiology Standard MRI protocols. We are grateful to  the ESSR Sports Sub-committee and to the Department of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, UK. for their origination of the protocols referenced here.

UEFA/FRG  Full Knee Imaging Protocol

Knee protocol (with knee coil)

• Axial PD FSE (fat sat)
• Coronal PD FSE (fat sat)
• Sagittal Obl PD FSE (fat sat)
• Coronal PD FSE
• Sagittal Obl PD FSE (fat sat)
• Axial PD FSE

UEFA/FRG  Presigning Protocol

Lumbar Spine Protocol

Coverage should be from T11 down to S2, with sufficient slices to include left and right nerve roots (see Fig. 1/2)

Protocols

• Sag T2 (FS) to include tips of transverse processes
• Sag T1 to include tips of transverse processes
• Axial T2 lower 3 disc levels (plus any other stenosed level) – L3/4 to L5/S1 parallel to each disc. (As in Fig.3)
• Sagittal STIR (acquired in same way as sagittal coverage described in figures 1 and 2

Knee Protocol (with knee coil)

• Axial PD FSE (fat sat)
• Coronal PD FSE (fat sat)
• Sagittal Obl PD FSE (fat sat)
• Coronal PD (images acquired as per ESSR protocol)

Ankle Protocol

Scan Planes given relative to tibial shaft!

Figure shows expected coverage of sagittal FOV with the expected coverage of the coronal (Fig.16) and Axial (Fig.17) series superimposed

• Axial T2 FSE (fat sat)
• Sagittal T2 FSE (fat sat)
• Coronal PD FSE
• Coronal T2 FSE (fat sat) (images acquired as per ESSR protocol figures 16 and 17).

Hip Protocol

• Cor T1 both hips
• Cor T2FS or STIR both hips
• Axial T2FS pelvis (L5/S1 to below lesser trochanters).