title: Imaging of Primary Brain Tumors and Metastases with Fast Quantitative 3-Dimensional Magnetization Transfer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assesses whether magnetization transfer (MT) imaging provides additive information to conventional MRI in brain tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  MT data of 26 patients with neoplastic and metastatic brain tumors were analyzed at 1.5 T. For the 3 largest tumor groups investigated in this study--glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), meningiomas, and metastases-statistical comparisons were performed. Analyzed MT parameters included the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and 4 quantitative MT parameters (qMT): Relaxation times (T1, T2), exchange rate (kf), and macromolecular content (F). Total imaging time of high-resolution whole brain MTR and qMT imaging with balanced steady-state free precession required 9 minutes. Five ROIs were chosen: Contrast-enhancing (T1W-CE), noncontrast-enhancing (T1W-non-CE), proximal hyperintensity (T2W-pSI), distal hyperintensity (T2W-dSI), and a reference (ref).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pathologies showed significant (P < .05) MT changes (MTR and qMT) compared to the reference. The T1W-CE, T1W-non-CE, and T2W-pSI ROIs of GBMs, meningiomas, and metastases showed significant differences in MTR and qMT estimates. Similar MTR with significant different qMT values were observed in several ROIs among different lesions. MT maps (MTR and qMT) indicated changes in tissue appearing unaffected on MRI in most glial tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MTR and qMT imaging enables a better differentiation between brain tumors and provides additive information to MRI.
authors.affiliation: Division of Diagnostic & Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Clinic for Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Meritxell
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiological Physics, Department of Radiology, Clinic for Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gloor
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiological Physics, Department of Radiology, Clinic for Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bieri
authors.affiliation: Medical Imaging Analysis Center, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ernst-Wilhelm
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Radue
authors.affiliation: Division of Diagnostic & Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Clinic for Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Johanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lieb
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cordier
authors.affiliation: Division of Diagnostic & Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Clinic for Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stippich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; magnetization transfer contrast imaging; metastases; neuroimaging; primary brain neoplasms