RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Sensitivity of enhanced MR in multiple sclerosis: effects of contrast dose and magnetization transfer contrast.
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 1863
OP 1867
VO 19
IS 10
A1 Bastianello, S
A1 Gasperini, C
A1 Paolillo, A
A1 Giugni, E
A1 Ciccarelli, O
A1 Sormani, M P
A1 Horsfield, M A
A1 Rovaris, M
A1 Pozzilli, C
A1 Filippi, M
YR 1998
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/19/10/1863.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSES New strategies have been developed to improve the sensitivity of contrast-enhanced MR imaging in quantifying disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The goal of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity of T1-weighted images after injection of a triple dose of contrast material and application of a magnetization transfer (MT) pulse in the detection of enhancing lesions as compared with the conventional approach.METHODS Monthly MR images were obtained in 13 patients with relapsing-remitting MS for a period of 3 months. The MR studies were performed on two separate occasions with single- and triple-dose contrast material. In each session, T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo images with and without the MT pulse were obtained before and after contrast administration. All images were evaluated in a blinded fashion and scored in random order and consensually by two readers. The number of total and new enhancing lesions and active images was counted.RESULTS Eighty-six percent more enhancing lesions and 54% more new enhancing lesions were detected with triple-dose as compared with single-dose non-MT sequences, whereas single-dose MT images depicted 33% more enhancing lesions and 18% more new enhancing lesions than the single-dose non-MT images. Twenty-nine percent more lesions were detected on triple-dose non-MT images than on single-dose MT images. The combination of a triple dose of contrast material and MT did not produce any significant change in detection of enhancing lesions as compared with a triple dose of contrast without MT.CONCLUSION The use of a triple dose of contrast material is the best approach to maximize the sensitivity of enhanced MR imaging.