FLAIR MR Imaging for Diagnosing Intracranial Meningeal Carcinomatosis

• Published in: American journal of roentgenology (1976) Vol. 176; no. 6; pp. 1585 - 1588
• Main Authors: Tsuchiya, Kazuhiro, Katase, Shichiro, Yoshino, Ayako, Hachiya, Junichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leesburg, VA Am Roentgen Ray Soc 01-06-2001; American Roentgen Ray Society
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Female; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Meningeal Neoplasms - pathology; Meningeal Neoplasms - secondary; Meninges - pathology; Middle Aged; Nervous system; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Human; Intracranial; Meninge; Nervous system diseases; Carcinoma; Central nervous system disease; Medical imagery; Malignant tumor; Diagnosis; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Contrast media
• ISSN: 0361-803X; 1546-3141
• DOI: 10.2214/ajr.176.6.1761585

The purpose of this study was to compare unenhanced and contrast-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging with other sequences to visualize meningeal carcinomatosis.
Unenhanced FLAIR images were compared with spin echo T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced FLAIR images in five patients with documented meningeal carcinomatosis and four patients with suspected meningeal carcinomatosis. Comparisons were also made between contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and FLAIR images.
In six patients, the unenhanced FLAIR images showed areas of abnormal hyperintensity within the sulci that were not noted on the spin-echo T2-weighted images. In all patients, the contrast-enhanced FLAIR images also showed meningeal enhancement, periventricular enhancement, or both. The contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and FLAIR images were equivalent in their depiction of abnormal enhancement in five of the nine patients; contrast-enhanced FLAIR images were superior in three patients.
Unenhanced FLAIR images are of more value than spin-echo T2-weighted images for the diagnosis of intracranial meningeal carcinomatosis. Contrast-enhanced FLAIR images can sometimes surpass contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images in their quality.