Knee MRI protocol: the sequences and the reason for each
One common knee protocol, with what each sequence is there to show.
Protocols are not universal. They differ from one hospital to another and from one radiologist to another, and they change with the scanner, the coil, the software version and the clinical question. What is written here is one common way of doing each examination that agrees with the published guidance listed in the references. It does not have to match your department, and it does not replace your department's approved protocol or the radiologist's request.
Knee
Meniscal tear, cruciate and collateral ligament injury, cartilage damage, bone bruise.
Knee coil, 10–15° of flexion and slight external rotation. FOV 14–16 cm, 3 mm slices.
| Sag PD fat-sat | Menisci, cartilage, marrow edema, cruciate ligaments. |
| Sag PD or T1 without fat sat | Meniscal tears are best seen on short TE; marrow anatomy. |
| Cor PD fat-sat | Collateral ligaments, meniscal body and roots. |
| Cor T1 | Fracture line, marrow. |
| Ax PD fat-sat | Patellofemoral cartilage, retinacula. |
Not routine. For synovitis, tumour or infection.
- Popliteal artery ghosts: phase direction superior-inferior on sagittal and right-left on axial keeps them off the joint
- Slight external rotation puts the ACL in the sagittal plane
- Keep TE below about 25 ms on the non-fat-sat PD or meniscal tears lose contrast
This page is one entry from the MRI Technologist Reference
The full reference has 31 protocols, 9 dynamic study timelines, 19 artifacts, 16 scanner problems and 15 safety topics, as a PDF in English and Arabic plus an interactive tool.
Educational reference. It does not replace your site protocols, the radiologist's instructions, the MR safety officer, or the manufacturer's instructions for any implant, device or contrast agent. Parameter values are typical starting points at 1.5 T and must be adapted to the scanner, coil and patient.