Magnetic resonance imaging: a new diagnostic aid in the care of high-voltage electrical burns

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect and delineate alterations in the hydration properties of tissues such as oedema and necrosis. The distinction between living tissue oedema and frank necrosis is also possible with MRI, by use of a spin-echo (SE) sequence and a fast spin-echo (FSE) sequence with a 1.5 T imager. With this background, the aim of this study was to examine the ability of MRI for early detection of concealed tissue injuries caused by high-voltage electrical burns, an entity not previously explored. Clinical use of MRI examinations in patients with high-voltage injuries admitted to the Burn Unit at Linköping University Hospital, has resulted in the significant elucidation of the deeper tissue injuries that occur. The T2-weighted images provided substantial information about the localization and amount of muscle necrosis, thus enabling increased surgical precision in the treatment of these high-voltage injury victims. FSE sequences produce T2-weighted images with increased speed of acquisition and/or increased image resolution compared to conventional SE sequence. Two illustrative examples are provided.