Precontrast and postcontrast susceptibility-weighted imaging in the assessment of intracranial brain neoplasms at 1.5 T.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to estimate pre- and post-gadolinium-enhanced high-spatial resolution susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in patients with brain neoplasms.


METHODS
A total of 17 patients (8 women, 9 men) with brain neoplasms participated in this study. In addition to conventional magnetic resonance imaging, pre- and post-gadolinium-enhanced SWI was performed. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and major diameters of the brain tumor were measured for quantitative analyses, and intratumoral susceptibility signal intensity (ITSS) was graded for semiquantitative analysis.


RESULTS
Both bright and dark enhancement were observed at the pathological lesion on postcontrast SWI. Some postcontrast SWI results suggested leakage of contrast material due to breakdown of the blood-brain barrier. There were no statistical differences (Student's t-test) between postcontrast SWI and three-dimensional (3D) T1-weighted images regarding the major diameters of the brain tumors. CNR of postcontrast 3D T1-weighted images was statistically superior to that of postcontrast SW images (P < 0.01, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Malignant tumors tended to have a higher ITSS score.


CONCLUSIONS
SWI clearly visualized the architecture of brain neoplasms. This imaging technique may be useful for evaluating tumor characterization in clinical use.
Department of Radiology, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimogato, Chuo, 409-3898, Japan. masahori@yamanashi.ac.jp
Masaaki
M
Hori
Keiichi
K
Ishigame
Hiroyuki
H
Kabasawa
Hiroshi
H
Kumagai
Satoshi
S
Ikenaga
Nobuyuki
N
Shiraga
Shigeki
S
Aoki
Tsutomu
T
Araki
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA