Final answer:
To rule out myositis from hips to knees without requiring perfect imaging, the imaging parameters can be adjusted by increasing the FOV size, using lower resolution settings, and choosing faster imaging sequences to cover the larger area while still providing adequate diagnostic quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a provider requests an imaging exam to rule out myositis and specifies that perfect imaging is not required, but coverage from hips to knees is essential, adjustments to the imaging parameters must be considered. For broad area coverage such as hip to knee, the imaging modality could be MRI due to its excellent soft tissue contrast, which is useful in diagnosing myositis. To obtain a larger field of view (FOV), the radiological technologist can increase the size of the FOV in the scanning protocol. However, it's important to note that increasing the FOV too much can reduce the spatial resolution. To compensate, some adjustments might be to use a lower resolution setting, which still provides the necessary diagnostic information but encompasses a wider area.
To cover the larger area effectively without the need for perfect imaging detail, the scan could be performed with a lower matrix size and possibly a slightly thicker slice thickness. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) could be decreased to allow for faster imaging times over this larger area, as higher SNR is linked with longer scanning times and would be less important if perfect imaging is not the priority. Lastly, since the focus is on ruling out myositis over a broad area rather than detailed imaging of a smaller region, one might consider using faster imaging sequences, such as a STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery) which is good for detecting pathologies in soft tissues.
Adjust imaging parameters by increasing FOV, potentially using lower resolution settings, and employing faster imaging sequences to cover a larger area from hips to knees with an acceptable level of diagnostic quality, ensuring myositis can be confirmed or ruled out effectively.