T1 pre contrast scans are helpful for identifying disease that involves the marrow spaces.  I would recommend a 3D post contrast T 1 series for identifying extraosseus disease such as epidural or paraspinal extension of disease. Fat suppressed sagittal T2 weighted images can be helpful in ...

I also include thin volumetric T1 FS with gad THRIVE. To save scan time, we do sagittal but with axial reference. If there are metallic implants, although artifact reduction technique can be used and the T2 images are usually OK qualitatively, sometimes we see a cut-off of the spinal cord contours l...