Visualization of cerebral microbleeds with dual-echo T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 7.0 T.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the visualization of cerebral microbleeds with dual echo T2*-weighted imaging at 7.0 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).


METHODS
Ten consecutive participants (eight men, two women, mean age 54 +/- 12 years) with vascular disease or risk factors from the second manifestations of arterial disease (SMART) study were included. Dual-echo T2*-weighted scans (echo time: 2.5/15.0 msec) were made for all participants at 7.0 T MRI. The number of visible microbleeds and the diameter of the microbleeds were recorded on minimal intensity projection images of both echoes.


RESULTS
: The first echo image shows dark microbleeds against a homogeneous, more hyperintense signal of the brain tissue without contrast for veins and basal ganglia. In eight patients microbleeds were observed, with a total of 104 microbleeds. Of these, 88 (84.6%) were visible on the first and 102 (98.0%) on the second echo. The mean diameter of the microbleeds was 1.24 mm for the first echo and 2.34 mm for the second echo.


CONCLUSIONS
T2*-weighted imaging at two echo times at 7.0 T combines the advantages of the first and second echo. Microbleeds visible on the first echo show large contrast with the surrounding tissue, even in the presence of paramagnetic ferritin. The second echo enables visualization of smaller microbleeds than the first echo.
Conijn
Mandy M A
MM
Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands. M.Conijn@umcutrecht.nl
Geerlings
Mirjam I
MI
Luijten
Peter R
PR
Zwanenburg
Jaco J M
JJ
Visser
Fredy
F
Biessels
Geert Jan
GJ
Hendrikse
Jeroen
J
D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged