Diffusion-weighted echo-planar MRI of lacunar infarcts.
We studied 35 patients with lacunar infarcts, using diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (DW-EPI) at 1.5 T. The relative apparent diffusion coefficient ratio (ADCR) of each lesion was calculated and lesion conspicuity on DW-EPI was compared to that on images acquired with fast fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T2-weighted fast spin-echo sequences. Acute small infarcts (within 3 days) were identified with DW-EPI as an area of decreased ADCR (range 0.33-0.87; mean 0.67) and high signal, subacute small infarcts (4-30 days) as a high-signal or isointense areas of decreased or nearly normal ADCR (0.54-0.98; 0.73), and chronic small infarcts (> 30 days) as low- or high-signal areas of nearly normal or increased ADCR (0.97-1.92; 1.32). In three patients, small infarcts of the brain stem in the hyperacute phase (within 6 h) were seen only with DW-EPI. In five patients, fresh small infarcts adjacent to multiple old infarcts could be distinguished only with DW-EPI.
Noguchi
K
K
Department of Radiology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama City, Japan.
Nagayoshi
T
T
Watanabe
N
N
Kanazawa
T
T
Toyoshima
S
S
Morijiri
M
M
Shojaku
H
H
Shimizu
M
M
Seto
H
H
D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors