title: Comparison of CT, low-field-strength MR imaging, and high-field-strength MR imaging. Work in progress.
abstract: To assess objectively the sensitivity and specificity of low-field-strength (0.064 T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, a prospective blind study of 280 examinations was performed to compare low-field-strength MR imaging with computed tomography (CT) and with high-field-strength (1.5-T) MR imaging of the cranium. The sensitivity (defined as the true-positive rate) with high-field MR imaging was superior to that with low-field MR imaging and CT in helping detect overall abnormalities. Sensitivities were generally similar over a broad range of specific cranial central nervous system diseases. Low-field and high-field MR imaging were equivalent in the blind diagnoses of neoplasms and white matter disease, whereas low-field MR and CT were equivalent in the blind diagnoses of contusion, subdural and epidural hematoma, sinus disease, normality, and abnormality. The specificities with low-field MR imaging and CT were substantially better than those with high-field MR imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque 87131.
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Orrison
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Stimac
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: LaMasters
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cobb
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Mettler
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed