title: Quantitative contrast-enhanced MR imaging of the optic nerve.
abstract: During the acute stages of optic neuritis damage to the blood-optic nerve barrier can be detected using i.v. paramagnetic contrast-enhanced MR imaging. Quantification of the enhancement pattern of the optic nerve, intraorbital fat and muscle was determined in 15 normal subjects using 3 fat-suppression MR imaging methods: T1-weighted spin-echo and spoiled gradient-echo sequences preceded by a fat-frequency selective pulse (FATSAT+SE and FATSAT+SPGR, respectively) and a pulse sequence combining CHOPPER fat suppression with a fat-frequency selective preparation pulse (HYBRID). Pre- and postcontrast-enhanced studies were acquired for FATSAT+SE and FATSAT+SPGR. There was no significant enhancement of the optic nerve by either method (mean increase of 0.96% and 5.3%, respectively), while there was significant enhancement in muscle (mean 118.2% and 108.2%, respectively; p < 0.005) and fat (mean increase of 13% and 37%, respectively; p < 0.05). Postcontrast optic nerve/muscle signal intensity ratios (mean, SD) were 0.51 (0.07), 0.58 (0.05) and 0.75 (0.05) for FATSAT+SE, FATSAT+SPGR and HYBRID, respectively. These results suggest a practical methodology and range of values for normal signal intensity increases and ratios of tissue signal that can be used as objective measures of optic neuritis for natural history studies and treatment trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yuh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Birch-Iensen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szumowski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stears
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000473:pathology*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA