FINDINGS OF RETINITIS ON GADOLINIUM-ENHANCED TURBO FLUID-ATTENUATED INVERSION-RECOVERY IMAGES

Purpose: This study sought to determine the findings of retinas inflam mation on gadolinium enhanced turbo fluid-attenuated inversion recover y (tFLAIR) images. Methods: Five patients with retinal abnormalities ( acquired immunodeficiency syndrome complicated by cytomegalovirus reti nitis, two patients; lymphoma complicated by Herpes zoster retinitis, one patient; and diabetic retinopathy, two patients) were identified o n routine brain magnetic resonance imaging examinations performed with gadolinium-enhanced tFLAIR; five healthy subjects ware retrospectivel y reviewed for comparison. Retinal signal features and thickness were evaluated comparing gadolinium-enhanced tFLAIR with turbo spin-echo T2 -weighted and spin-echo T1-weighted images with and without gadolinium . Results: Abnormal retinal thickening and hyperintensity were most co nspicuous on gadolinium-enhanced tFLAIR images. Unenhanced T1-weighted images failed to demonstrate any abnormalities. In the enhanced tFLAl R and T1-weighted images, retinal thickness greater than 1.2 mm was ab normal, Abnormal retinal contour and signal was most apparent on the t FLAIR images. Conclusions: Of the sequences studied, gadolinium-enhanc ed tFLAIR images were found to be the best in identifying incidental r etinitis and diabetic retinopathy discovered on routine brain magnetic resonance imaging examinations.