Application of multi-echo susceptibility weighted imaging in the evaluation of brain capillary telangiectasias

To explore the diagnostic value of high-resolution 3.0 T multi-echo susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) technique for brain capillary telangiectasias (BCT).

In this study, 36 BCT patients' conventional MR images and multi-echo SWI were retrospectively collected, and the BCT imaging features on conventional MR images, varied echo time SWI and derived quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) images, were reviewed and analyzed.

The patients were 25 males and 11 females, ranging in age from 28 to 90 years, with an average age of (64.75 ± 11.08) years. The positive rate of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) image for BCT was 36.9%, that of multi-echo SWI long TE sequence for BCT was 100%, and that of QSM map was 85%. The positive rate of QSM was better than that of DWI, and the difference was statistically significant ( ${\chi }^2$  = 334.609, p < 0.001). The long TE (22.5 ms) of multi-echo SWI sequence showed the central vein of BCT 72.4% (498/688), and the display rate of QSM map was 55.4% (324/585). The detection rate of central vein of BCT was different between the two sequences, and the multi-echo SWI sequence was better than the QSM map ( ${\chi }^2$  = 39.937, p < 0.001).

Multi-echo SWI technique is the most sensitive sequence for BCT diagnosis and lesion display, and the central vein and peripheral drainage vein of BCT lesion are clearly displayed with the extension of TE time.