Brain: gadolinium-enhanced fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery MR imaging. Radiology 1999 Apr;211(1):257-63
Date
04/06/1999Pubmed ID
10189481DOI
10.1148/radiology.211.1.r99mr25257Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0032907673 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 194 CitationsAbstract
PURPOSE: To determine the clinical utility of gadolinium-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain by comparing results with those at gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging with magnetization transfer (MT) saturation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 105 consecutive patients referred for gadolinium-enhanced brain imaging, FLAIR and T1-weighted MR imaging with MT saturation were performed before and after administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine (0.1 mmol per kilogram of body weight). Pre- and postcontrast images were evaluated to determine the presence of abnormal contrast enhancement and whether enhancement was more conspicuous with the FLAIR or T1-weighted sequences.
RESULTS: Thirty-nine studies showed intracranial contrast enhancement. Postcontrast T1-weighted images with MT saturation showed superior enhancement in 14 studies, whereas postcontrast fast FLAIR images showed superior enhancement in 15 studies. Four cases demonstrated approximately equal contrast enhancement with both sequences. Six cases showed some areas of enhancement better with T1-weighted imaging with MT saturation and other areas better with postcontrast fast FLAIR imaging. Superficial enhancement was typically better seen with postcontrast fast FLAIR imaging.
CONCLUSION: Fast FLAIR images have noticeable T1 contrast making gadolinium-induced enhancement visible. Gadolinium enhancement in lesions that are hyperintense on precontrast FLAIR images, such as intraparenchymal tumors, may be better seen on T1-weighted images than on postcontrast fast FLAIR images. However, postcontrast fast FLAIR images may be useful for detecting superficial abnormalities, such as meningeal disease, because they do not demonstrate contrast enhancement of vessels with slow flow as do T1-weighted images.
Author List
Mathews VP, Caldemeyer KS, Lowe MJ, Greenspan SL, Weber DM, Ulmer JLAuthor
Vincent Mathews MD Chair, Professor in the Radiology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
BrainBrain Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Contrast Media
Female
Gadolinium DTPA
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Middle Aged
Phantoms, Imaging