title: Agreement between low-field MRI and CT for the detection of suspected intracranial lesions in dogs and cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the agreement between CT and MRI for enabling detection of intracranial lesions in cats and dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation study.
  
  
  METHODS
  51 dogs and 7 cats with suspected intracranial lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 2-year-period, dogs and cats with suspected intracranial pathological changes underwent MRI and CT (single slice) of the head. Radiologists evaluated images produced with both techniques without awareness of subject identity. Agreement between methods was assessed for allowing detection of solitary or multiple lesions, selected lesion characteristics (via the Cohen κ statistic), and lesion dimensions (via Bland-Altman plots).
  
  
  RESULTS
  CT and MRI had substantial agreement for allowing detection of lesions and identification of whether the lesions were solitary or multiple. The techniques agreed almost perfectly for allowing identification of a mass effect and contrast medium enhancement, which were considered principal diagnostic imaging signs. A lower degree of agreement was attained for allowing identification of enhancement patterns and aspects of lesion margins. Agreement was substantial to almost perfect for lesion visualization in most anatomic brain regions but poor for identification of lesion dimensions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Degrees of agreement between CT and MRI for allowing the detection and characterization of intracranial lesions ranged from poor to almost perfect, depending on the variable assessed. More investigation is needed into the relative analytic sensitivity and possible complementarities of CT and MRI in the detection of suspected intracranial lesions in dogs and cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gielen
authors.forename: Kaatje
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kromhout
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gavin
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Ham
authors.forename: Ingeborgh
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Polis
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Bree
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000662:veterinary*