title: [Intracranial calcifications on MRI].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to show that the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for intracranial calcifications previously demonstrated at computed tomography (CT) are variable and unspecific.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a study of 21 patients with calcified intracranial lesions of different etiologies detected at CT. We analyze the MRI signal characteristics in these lesions in T1- and T2-weighted sequences, taking the cerebral cortex as a reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MRI signal of the calcified intracranial lesion was variable. Nevertheless, the most frequent appearance on T1-weighted sequences was areas isointense with the cerebral cortex. The most frequent appearance on T2-weighted sequences was foci of hypointensity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intracranial calcifications show variable MRI signal characteristics and have an unspecific appearance, making them difficult to characterize. MRI cannot reliably rule out or determine the presence of calcifications. CT study of intracranial lesions enables calcified lesions to be identified and characterized; therefore, CT is the technique of choice for the study of calcified lesions.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital de Basurto, Bilbao, Vizcaya, España. marsarmiento@seram.org
authors.forename: Maria Mar
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sarmiento de la Iglesia
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lecumberri Cortés
authors.forename: Iñigo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lecumberri Cortés
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oleaga Zufiria
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isusi Fontan
authors.forename: Domingo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grande Icaran
mesh_terms: D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed