MR imaging detection of calcified intracranial lesions and differentiation from iron-laden lesions.
Magnetic susceptibility variation caused by calcium permits limited detection of intracranial calcifications and/or their distinction from iron-laden lesions with spin-echo or gradient-echo magnetic resonance (MR) techniques. The magnetic susceptibility sensitivity of phase imaging has been used to detect iron-laden lesions. A new approach that combines the magnetic susceptibility sensitivity of both gradient-echo and phase imaging to yield greater imaging sensitivity to calcium is presented. Two-dimensional fast low-angle shot (FLASH) gradient-echo imaging with phase image reconstruction (gradient-echo phase [GEP]) was used at 1.0 and 1.5 T. Twelve patients with computed tomography-proved calcified intracranial lesions (greater than or equal to 200 HU) and seven patients with iron-laden intracranial lesions having a characteristic appearance on T1- and T2-weighted and FLASH MR images were studied. The GEP imaging technique helped detect calcified intracranial lesions (greater than or equal to 200 HU) and helped distinguish them from iron-laden lesions.
Gronemeyer
S A
SA
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105.
Langston
J W
JW
Hanna
S L
SL
Langston
J W
JW
D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging
D007501:Iron