T2-weighted MRI: what is bright, when to use it, what to watch
Fluid is bright on T2, which is why it shows most disease. The usual pitfalls are fat that stays bright and flow that looks like pathology.
T2-weighted
Bright: free water, CSF, edema, most tumours, cysts, inflammation. Dark: cortical bone, tendons, flowing blood, iron, air. Fat is also bright on FSE.
The pathology sequence. Most disease adds water to tissue, and T2 makes that water visible.
Bright fat hides edema in marrow and soft tissue: add fat suppression in musculoskeletal and body imaging.
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.