Objective To investigate the clinical value of different magnetic resonance （MR） pulse sequences in diagnosis of spinal metastatic tumor. Methods Fifteen patients with clinically suspected spinal metastatic tumor were included in this study. These patients were with documented primary tumors. Four MR pulse sequences

T1-weighted spin echo （T1WI SE）

T2-weighted fast spin echo （T2WI FSE）

short time inversion recovery （STIR）

and gradient echo 2-D multi echo data imaging combination （GE Me-2D） were used to detect spinal metastasis. Results Fifteen vertebral bodies were entire involvement

38 vertebral bodies were section involvement

and totally 53 vertebral bodies were involved. There were 19 focal infections in pedicle of vertebral arch

15 metastases in spinous process and transverse process. Fifty-three vertebral bodies were abnormal in T1WI SE and GE Me-2D

35 vertebral bodies were found abnormal in T2WI FSE

and 50 vertebral bodies were found abnormal in STIR. The verges of focal signal of involved vertebral bodies were comparatively clear in T1WI SE

comparatively clear or vague in T2WI FSE

vague in STIR

and clear in GE Me-2D.Conclusions GE Me-2D may be the most sensitive technique to detect metastases. So three sequences （T1WI SE

T2WI FSE

GE Me-2D） can demonstrate the early changes of spinal metastasis roundly.