Advanced

AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

This Article Abstract Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rovaris, Articles by Filippi,

Relevance of Hypointense Lesions on Fast Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery MR Images as a Marker of Disease Severity in Cases of Multiple Sclerosis^,

Marco Rovaris^a, Giancarlo Comi^a, Maria A. Rocca^a, Mara Cercignani^a, Bruno Colombo^a, Giuseppe Santuccio^a and Massimo Filippi^,a

^a From the Neuroimaging Research Unit (M.R., M.A.R., M.C., M.F.) and the Clinical Trials Unit (G.C., B.C., G.S.) of the Department of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; and the Division of Medical Physics, University of Leicester, England (M.C.).

View larger version (224K): [in a new window]   FIG 1. Axial T2-weighted RARE (3300/98/1) (A), PD-weighted RARE (3300/16/1) (B), T1-weighted CSE (768/14/2) (C), and fast FLAIR (9500/119/1) (D) images of the brain of a patient with relapsing-remitting MS. On dual-echo RARE images (A and B), several hyperintense lesions are visible, and some of them are hypointense (black holes) on the corresponding T1-weighted image (C). On the fast FLAIR image (D), the areas of increased signal correspond well to the hyperintense lesions visible on the RARE images

View larger version (211K): [in a new window]   FIG 2. Axial T2-weighted RARE (3300/98/1) (A), PD-weighted RARE (3300/16/1) (B), T1-weighted CSE (768/14/2) (C), and fast FLAIR (9500/119/1) (D) images of the brain of a patient with secondary progressive MS. On dual-echo RARE images (A and B), confluent, hyperintense lesions are visible in the posterior periventricular regions, and some of them appear as black holes on the corresponding T1-weighted image (C). On the fast FLAIR image (D), within the left periventricular confluent lesion, hypointense areas are visible and correspond well to T1-weighted black holes (C)

View larger version (18K): [in a new window]   FIG 3. Theoretical FLAIR signal from MS lesions (normalized to normal-appearing white matter) over a range of T1 values. The SI is expected to be higher than that of normal-appearing white matter until the T1 value becomes extremely prolonged