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Higher sensitivity in the detection of inflammatory brain lesions in patients with clinically isolated syndromes suggestive of multiple sclerosis using high field MRI: an intraindividual comparison of 1.5 T with 3.0 T

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivities in the detection of inflammatory lesions in patients with clinically isolated syndromes suggestive of multiple sclerosis at 3.0 T and 1.5 T. MR imaging of 40 patients at both field strengths was performed in separate sessions including contiguous axial slices of T2 turbo spin-echo (T2 TSE), fluid-attenuated-inversion-recovery (FLAIR) and pre- and postcontrast T1 spin-echo (T1 SE). Inflammatory lesions >3 mm in size were counted and categorized according to their anatomic location. Lesion conspicuity was assessed on a five-point scale. At 3.0 T, 13% more white matter lesions could be identified on the FLAIR sequence and on the T2 TSE sequence. Compared to 1.5 T 7.5% more contrast-enhancing lesions were detected at 3.0 T. The higher detection rate at 3.0 T was significant for the infratentorial (p=0.02) and juxtacortical (p<0.01) region on the FLAIR as well as for the infratentorial (p=0.03), juxtacortical (p=0.02) and periventricular (p=0.03) region on the T2 TSE sequence. The lesion conspicuity was significantly better at 3.0 T for FLAIR and T2 TSE sequences (p<0.01; p=0.01). In conclusion, high-field MRI at 3.0 T provides a significantly higher detection rate of inflammatory brain lesions especially in the infratentorial, juxtacortical and periventricular anatomic region.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Hanno Schimikowski for help establishing the figures and Renate Blömer for the technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105, Bonn, Germany

    Mike P. Wattjes, Götz G. Lutterbey, Jürgen Gieseke, Frank Träber & Hans H. Schild

  2. Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Michael Harzheim, Luisa Klotz & Thomas Klockgether

  3. Philips Medical Systems, Best, The Netherlands

    Jürgen Gieseke

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  1. Mike P. Wattjes
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  2. Götz G. Lutterbey
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Correspondence to Mike P. Wattjes.

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Wattjes, M.P., Lutterbey, G.G., Harzheim, M. et al. Higher sensitivity in the detection of inflammatory brain lesions in patients with clinically isolated syndromes suggestive of multiple sclerosis using high field MRI: an intraindividual comparison of 1.5 T with 3.0 T. Eur Radiol 16, 2067–2073 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-006-0195-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-006-0195-4

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