Findings of retinitis on gadolinium-enhanced turbo fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to determine the findings of retinal inflammation on gadolinium-enhanced turbo fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (tFLAIR) images.


METHODS
Five patients with retinal abnormalities (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome complicated by cytomegalovirus retinitis, two patients; lymphoma complicated by Herpes zoster retinitis, one patient; and diabetic retinopathy, two patients) were identified on routine brain magnetic resonance imaging examinations performed with gadolinium-enhanced tFLAIR; five healthy subjects were retrospectively reviewed for comparison. Retinal signal features and thickness were evaluated comparing gadolinium-enhanced tFLAIR with turbo spin-echo T2-weighted and spin-echo T1-weighted images with and without gadolinium.


RESULTS
Abnormal retinal thickening and hyperintensity were most conspicuous on gadolinium-enhanced tFLAIR images. Unenhanced T1-weighted images failed to demonstrate any abnormalities. In the enhanced tFLAIR and T1-weighted images, retinal thickness greater than 1.2 mm was abnormal. Abnormal retinal contour and signal was most apparent on the tFLAIR images.


CONCLUSIONS
Of the sequences studied, gadolinium-enhanced tFLAIR images were found to be the best in identifying incidental retinitis and diabetic retinopathy discovered on routine brain magnetic resonance imaging examinations.
Bahn
M M
MM
Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Gordon
R E
RE
Wippold
F J
FJ
Grand
M G
MG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012173:Retinitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D005682:Gadolinium