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Echoplanar diffusion-weighted MRI with intravenous gadolinium-DTPA
C Fitzek1, H J Mentzel, S Fitzek
1Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Philosophenweg 3, 07749 Jena, Germany. clemens.fitzek@med.uni-jena.de
Neuroradiology
|August 19, 2003
Summary
Repeating diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) after contrast medium (CM) shows no significant diagnostic differences. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) remain stable, ensuring reliable imaging quality for brain lesion detection.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Neuroimaging
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is crucial for diagnosing brain abnormalities.
- Intravenous contrast medium (CM) is sometimes administered before repeat DWI scans.
- The impact of CM on DWI and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) requires thorough investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate diagnostic differences in echo-planar imaging (EPI)-DWI before and after intravenous CM administration.
- To assess the effect of CM on quantitative ADC values in brain lesions and normal tissue.
Main Methods:
- EPI-DWI was performed twice on 203 consecutive patients, pre- and post-intravenous CM.
- Three blinded radiologists assessed diagnostic image quality.
- Quantitative ADC calculations were performed on lesions and normal brain regions in 72 patients.
Main Results:
- No significant signal differences were observed on isotropic DWI before and after CM, even in lesions with a disrupted blood-brain barrier (BBB).
- Quantitative ADC values showed no statistically significant differences between pre- and post-CM scans.
- No significant difference was found in ADC values between lesions and contralateral normal brain regions.
Conclusions:
- Intravenous CM administration does not introduce diagnostically significant differences in EPI-DWI quality or ADC values.
- Repeat DWI after CM can be reliably performed without compromising diagnostic accuracy.
- Findings support the use of CM in repeat DWI protocols for brain imaging.