title: Magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 tesla detects more lesions in acute optic neuritis than at 1.5 tesla.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to assess whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3.0 T detects more brain lesions in acute optic neuritis (ON) than MRI at 1.5 T.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight patients with acute ON were scanned at both field-strengths using fast-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), proton density and T2-weighted turbo spin echo, and T1-weighted spin echo after contrast. In addition, magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (MPRAGE) was obtained after contrast at 3.0 T. Lesion number and volumes were assessed by an observer blind to patient identity and field strength.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scans at 3.0 T showed a significantly increase in number of lesions detected on FLAIR images (P = 0.002) relative to scanning at 1.5 T. MPRAGE proved to be suitable for detecting enhancing lesions in ON.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MRI protocol at 3.0 T was more sensitive to hyperintense brain lesions in ON than the standard MRI protocol at 1.5 T.
authors.affiliation: Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark. kirstenn@magnet.drcmr.dk
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Egill
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rostrup
authors.forename: Jette L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Frederiksen
authors.forename: Stine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knudsen
authors.forename: Henrik K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Mathiesen
authors.forename: Lars G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Olaf B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Paulson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium