title: Comparison between gadolinium-enhanced 2D T1-weighted gradient-echo and spin-echo sequences in the detection of active multiple sclerosis lesions on 3.0T MRI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the sensitivity of enhancing multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions in gadolinium-enhanced 2D T1-weighted gradient-echo (GRE) and spin-echo (SE) sequences, and to assess the influence of visual conspicuity and laterality on detection of these lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred MS patients underwent 3.0T brain MRI including gadolinium-enhanced 2D T1-weighted GRE and SE sequences. The two sets of contrast-enhanced scans were evaluated in random fashion by three experienced readers. Lesion conspicuity was assessed by the image contrast ratio (CR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The intracranial region was divided into four quadrants and the impact of lesion location on detection was assessed in each slice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hundred and seven gadolinium-enhancing MS lesions were identified. GRE images were more sensitive for lesion detection (0.828) than SE images (0.767). Lesions showed a higher CR in SE than in GRE images, whereas the CNR was higher in GRE than SE. Most misclassifications occurred in the right posterior quadrant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The gadolinium-enhanced 2D T1-weighted GRE sequence at 3.0T MRI enables detection of enhancing MS lesions with higher sensitivity and better lesion conspicuity than 2D T1-weighted SE. Hence, we propose the use of gadolinium-enhanced GRE sequences rather than SE sequences for routine scanning of MS patients at 3.0T.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • 2D SE and GRE sequences are useful for detecting active MS lesions. • Which of these sequences is more sensitive at high field remains uncertain. • GRE sequence showed better sensitivity for detecting active MS lesions than SE. • We propose GRE sequence for detecting active MS lesions at 3.0T.
authors.affiliation: MR Unit. Department of Radiology (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, P. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain. xavier.aymerich@idi.gencat.cat.|Department of Automatic Control (ESAII), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - Barcelona Tech (UPC), Barcelona, Spain. xavier.aymerich@idi.gencat.cat.
authors.forename: F X
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6129-9208
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Aymerich
authors.affiliation: MR Unit. Department of Radiology (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, P. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Auger
authors.affiliation: MR Unit. Department of Radiology (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, P. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alcaide-Leon
authors.affiliation: MR Unit. Department of Radiology (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, P. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pareto
authors.affiliation: MR Unit. Department of Radiology (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, P. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Huerga
authors.affiliation: MR Unit. Department of Radiology (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, P. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Corral
authors.affiliation: MR Unit. Department of Radiology (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, P. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mitjana
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya (Cemcat), Department of Neurology/Neuroimmunology, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sastre-Garriga
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya (Cemcat), Department of Neurology/Neuroimmunology, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Montalban
authors.affiliation: MR Unit. Department of Radiology (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, P. Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rovira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C090600:gadobutrol
keywords: Brain; Contrast sensitivity; Lesion conspicuity; Magnetic resonance imaging; Multiple sclerosis