American Journal of Neuroradiology 28:54-59, January 2007
© 2007 American Society of Neuroradiology
BRAIN
Double Inversion Recovery Brain Imaging at 3T: Diagnostic Value in the Detection of Multiple Sclerosis Lesions
a Departments of Radiology/Neuroradiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
b Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
C Philips Medical Systems, Best, the Netherlands
Address correspondence to Mike Peter Wattjes, MD, Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany; e-mail: mike.wattjes{at}ukb.uni-bonn.de
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To prospectively determine the sensitivity in the detection of multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions by using double inversion recovery (DIR), fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), and T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (T2 TSE) MR imaging at 3T.
METHODS: Seventeen patients presenting with a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) suggestive of MS, 9 patients with definite MS, and 6 healthy control subjects were included. Imaging was performed on a 3T MR system using DIR, FLAIR, and T2 TSE sequences. Lesions were counted and classified according to 5 anatomic regions: infratentorial, periventricular, deep white matter, juxtacortical, and mixed white matter-gray matter. The sensitivity at DIR was compared with the corresponding sensitivity at FLAIR and T2 TSE sequence. The contrast between lesions and normal-appearing gray matter, normal-appearing white matter, and CSF was determined for all sequences.
RESULTS: Because of higher lesion-white matter contrast, the DIR showed a higher number of lesions compared with the FLAIR (7% gain, P = 0.04) and the T2 TSE (15% gain, P = 0.01). The higher sensitivity was also significant for the infratentorial region compared with the FLAIR (56% gain, P = 0.02) and the T2 TSE (44% gain, P = 0.02). Compared with the FLAIR, no significant changes of the lesion load measurements were observed in the supratentorial brain: slightly higher numbers of periventricular and mixed gray matter-white matter lesions on the DIR were counterbalanced by a slightly reduced sensitivity regarding juxtacortical lesions.
CONCLUSION: DIR brain imaging at 3T provides the highest sensitivity in the detection of MS lesions especially in the infratentorial region.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  D Bar-Zohar, F Agosta, D Goldstaub, and M Filippi Magnetic resonance imaging metrics and their correlation with clinical outcomes in multiple sclerosis: a review of the literature and future perspectives Multiple Sclerosis, July 1, 2008; 14(6): 719 - 727. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. L. Sicotte, K. C. Kern, B. S. Giesser, A. Arshanapalli, A. Schultz, M. Montag, H. Wang, and S. Y. Bookheimer Regional hippocampal atrophy in multiple sclerosis Brain, April 1, 2008; 131(4): 1134 - 1141. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. K. Kuhl, F. Traber, and H. H. Schild Whole-Body High-Field-Strength (3.0-T) MR Imaging in Clinical Practice * Part I. Technical Considerations and Clinical Applications Radiology, March 1, 2008; 246(3): 675 - 696. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Y. Duan, P.G. Hildenbrand, M.P. Sampat, D.F. Tate, I. Csapo, B. Moraal, R. Bakshi, F. Barkhof, D.S. Meier, and C.R.G. Guttmann Segmentation of Subtraction Images for the Measurement of Lesion Change in Multiple Sclerosis AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., February 1, 2008; 29(2): 340 - 346. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Calabrese, N. De Stefano, M. Atzori, V. Bernardi, I. Mattisi, L. Barachino, A. Morra, L. Rinaldi, C. Romualdi, P. Perini, et al. Detection of Cortical Inflammatory Lesions by Double Inversion Recovery Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis Arch Neurol, October 1, 2007; 64(10): 1416 - 1422. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|