[Contrast medium assisted nuclear magnetic resonance tomography. Signal intensity of gliomatous tumors]

In 124 patients with different types of gliomas signal intensity was studied with and without contrast material using T1-weighted sequences. The diagnostic possibilities equal those of computed tomography scans. Except grade II and III astrocytomas, the extent of the observed disorders of the blood-brain-barrier corresponds to the malignancy of the tumour. A distinction between glioblastomas, anaplastic astrocytomas and mixed gliomas is not possible. The differences on examination with and without contrast medium in grade I and II astrocytomas and grade I oligodendro-gliomas can be important for differential diagnosis. In addition the T1-weighted sequences require less time for investigation than other sequences which demonstrate disorders of the blood-brain-barrier without contrast material.