ROLE OF CONTRAST ENHANCED FLUID ATTENUATING INVERSION RECOVERY IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FOR EVALUATION OF LEPTOMENINGEAL PATHLOGIES.

Dr. Abhijit N Markande; Dr. Devadas Acharya

Volume : IX, Issue : VI, June - 2020

ROLE OF CONTRAST ENHANCED FLUID ATTENUATING INVERSION RECOVERY IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FOR EVALUATION OF LEPTOMENINGEAL PATHLOGIES.

Dr. Abhijit N Markande, Dr. Devadas Acharya

Abstract :

Introduction: Fluid–attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) is a special inversion recovery pulse sequence with a long TR and TE, and an inversion time (TI) that effectively nulls signals from the cereospinal fluid. The mild T1 effect of the FLAIR sequence is responsible for contrast enhancement on these heavily T2W images. Aims: To compare the contrast–enhanced fluid–attenuated inversion recovery (CE–FLAIR) and the Contrast enhanced T1–weighted (CE–T1W) sequence with fat suppression (FS) for early detection and characterization of leptomeningeal pathology using 3T MRI. Materials and method: A total of 50 patients were evaluated retrospectively who underwent 3T Contrast MRI ain study from June 2018 to June 2019 with available contrast MRI images with CSF analysis. The MRI ain images was reviewed on PACS by two senior radiologists. Results: Post contrast FLAIR sequence showed more leptomeningeal abnormality than the post contrast T1 fat saturation images, more so along the basal cisterns. Conclusion: Conclusion. Contrast–enhanced FLAIR sequence is more sensitive than contrast–enhanced T1W sequence in the diagnosis of meningitis. Post contrast FLAIR is useful adjunct and must be routinely used in suspected cases of meningitis.