MR of intracranial tumors: combined use of gadolinium and magnetization transfer.
OBJECTIVE
To study the potential combined application of gadolinium and magnetization transfer in the MR imaging of intracranial tumors.


METHODS
Twenty-two patients were imaged at low field strength (0.1 T). Corresponding gradient-echo partial saturation images without and with magnetization transfer pulse were produced. Images with intermediate repetition times were obtained in 18 cases; five different sequences were produced in 4 cases. Gadopentetate dimeglumine was used at a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg.


RESULTS
Magnetization transfer effect increased the contrast between enhancing lesion and normal brain and the contrast between edema and normal brain; the contrast between enhancing lesion and edema was not significantly changed. On intermediate-repetition-time magnetization transfer images the contrast between enhancing tumor and normal brain and the contrast between edema and normal brain were superior to short-repetition-time magnetization transfer images, but the differentiation between enhancing tumor and edema was poorer.


CONCLUSIONS
Magnetization transfer can be used to improve contrast in Gd-enhanced MR imaging. Combining magnetization transfer with an intermediate-repetition-time image provides the possibility for displaying both enhancing and nonenhancing lesions on a single MR image.
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Finland.
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Kurki
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Niemi
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Valtonen
D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003287:Contrast Media; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004338:Drug Combinations; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008536:Meglumine; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008579:Meningioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA