Differentiation of calcification from chronic hemorrhage with corrected gradient echo phase imaging

Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to prospectively evaluate the role of corrected gradient echo phase imaging in differentiation of calcif ied granuloma from chronic hemorrhage. Method: Eighty-five patients with single/multiple calcifications and hemorr hages irrespective of their location were studied with corrected gradient e cho phase imaging. In all the cases, CT was used as the gold standard for t he presence/absence of calcification. Results: All calcified lesions showed positive phase, whereas chronic hemor rhages showed negative phase in all cases. Five calcified lesions showed no phase shift at TE = 15 ms and positive shift at TE = 35 ms. Heterogeneous phase shift was observed in three calcified lesions at TE 35 ms: all three lesions showed positive phase shift at TE = 15 ms. There was no site-specif ic problem in differentiation of calcification from chronic hemorrhage incl uding in the basal ganglia. Conclusion: We conclude that calcified granuloma can be easily differentiat ed from chronic hemorrhage with corrected gradient echo phase imaging, whic h may obviate the need for CT for its confirmation.