Preliminary evaluation of fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery MR in the diagnosis of intracranial tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To report our preliminary results in the application of a turbo fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) MR technique to the diagnosis of intracranial tumors and to assess the clinical usefulness of this technique.


METHODS
Thirty-four patients with various intracranial tumors were studies with MR imaging, including a turbo FLAIR sequence. FLAIR images were compared with images obtained with conventional spin-echo sequences.


RESULTS
Except for 2 lesions in 1 patients, tumor signal intensities on FLAIR images were consistent with those shown on T2-weighted spin-echo images. FLAIR images showed peritumoral edema more clearly than T2-Weighted and proton density-weighted images when the tumor itself was not hyperintense. In 8 of 23 patients in whom edema was associated with tumor, FLAIR images provided better definition between edema and tumor than did T2-weighted and proton density-weighted images. In 5 patients, FLAIR images depicted different signal intensity between cerebrospinal fluid and a cystic or necrotic component. In 20 of 22 patients, postcontrast FLAIR images showed contrast enhancement comparable to that seen on postcontrast T1-weighted images.


CONCLUSIONS
Turbo FLAIR images can supplement conventional spin-echo images in the diagnosis of intracranial tumors.
Tsuchiya
K
K
Department of Radiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Mizutani
Y
Y
Hachiya
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000175:diagnosis; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D002648:Child; D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D005910:Glioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008579:Meningioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000175:diagnosis; 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