Role of slice thickness in MR imaging of the internal auditory canal.
The relative efficacy of post-Gd-DTPA 5 and 3 mm axial T1-weighted images was compared in the detection of lesions in the internal auditory canal and cerebellopontine angle. One hundred twenty consecutive patients were prospectively evaluated with 5 mm axial T1-weighted slices. If these were negative or questionable. 3 mm axial slices were immediately obtained as the next sequence. Eighteen percent of cases were positive and in none of these was the 5 mm study normal. However, in 22 negative cases and two positive cases, a 3 mm study was necessary for confirmation. Five millimeter axial scanning post Gd-DTPA is recommended as the initial study for detection of masses in the internal auditory canal and cerebellopontine angle. Because this study requires fewer acquisitions than 3 mm sections and can be done satisfactorily on low and midfield systems, there are potential time- and cost-saving benefits to this approach.
Department of Radiology, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016.
A W
AW
Litt
N
N
Kondo
K R
KR
Bannon
I I
II
Kricheff
D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000175:diagnosis; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000473:pathology*
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA