Clinical applications of quantitative T2 determination: a complementary MRI tool for routine diagnosis of suspected myelination disorders.
OBJECTIVE
Though magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in studying pathological changes in central nervous system, a quantitative measure of contrast variance on MRI, allowing the detection of subtle signal variances in pathological processes, is not readily available for routine imaging. We report on the first experiences with evaluation of routine T2 relaxation time measurement as a diagnostic tool in routine imaging of suspected myelination disorders.


METHODS
Twenty patients suffering from defined or suspected myelination disorders were examined by MRI. T2 relaxation time maps of the brain were derived from a triple spin echo sequence. T2 values were measured for each patient by regions of interest (ROI) analysis. As references age-dependent T2 prediction values in normal maturating brains were calculated by using a biexponentional function reported earlier. Deviations from these prediction values were used as an assisting tool both for detection of pathology and for monitoring of changes over time. These quantitative results were compared to conventional visual inspections by two independent neuroradiologists.


RESULTS
In 18 patients with single diagnostic MRI, the T2 measurements were more graduated or definite in 9/18 cases, confirmatory in 9/18 cases. In two patients with MRI follow up, the dynamic clinical course of the disease had no correlate in visual inspection of the images but was associated with the quantitative T2 values.


CONCLUSIONS
Quantitative T2 measurement is a promising tool for routine imaging as a complementary method in detecting and monitoring of suspected myelination disorders.
Ding
Xiao-Qi
XQ
Department of Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Ding.Xiaoqi@mh-hannover.de
Wittkugel
Oliver
O
Goebell
Einar
E
Förster
Ann-Freya
AF
Grzyska
Ullrich
U
Zeumer
Hermann
H
Fiehler
Jens
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003287:Contrast Media; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values
D003287:Contrast Media