MR ENHANCEMENT OF BRAIN-LESIONS - INCREASED CONTRAST DOSE COMPARED WITH MAGNETIZATION-TRANSFER

PURPOSE: To compare image contrast and lesion conspicuity of enhancing intracranial lesions obtained with T1-weighted and magnetization tran sfer T1-weighted spin-echo sequences after administration of standard (0.1 mmol/kg body weight) and triple doses of gadobutrol. METHODS: Twe nty-four patients with a total of 34 enhancing intracranial lesions we re studied with T1-weighted and magnetization transfer T1-weighted spi n-echo MR imaging, An incremental dose technique was used with intrave nous injections of 0.1 and 0.2 mmol/kg body weight gadobutrol, Lesion- to-white matter contrast and white matter-to-edema contrast were calcu lated. RESULTS: The lesion-to-white matter contrast of the magnetizati on transfer T1-weighted studies was significantly higher than that of the T1-weighted studies when identical doses of gadobutrol were compar ed. The lesion-to-white matter contrast was not significantly differen t on the triple-dose T1-weighted study and the standard-dose magnetiza tion transfer T1-weighted study. Two lesions were visible only on the standard-dose magnetization transfer T1-weighted and the triple-dose s tudies. CONCLUSION: Standard-dose magnetization transfer T1-weighted a nd triple-dose T1-weighted spin-echo MR studies are equally well suite d to increase the lesion-to-white matter contrast in patients with enh ancing intracranial lesions, Triple-dose magnetization transfer T1-wei ghted studies further increase lesion-to-white matter contrast but do not show additional lesions.