3T Double Inversion Recovery Magnetic Resonance Imaging: diagnostic advantages in the evaluation of cortical development anomalies

Francesca Granata; Rosa Morabito; Enricomaria Mormina; Concetta Alafaci; Silvia Marino; Angela Laganà; Sergio Lucio Vinci; Marilena Briguglio; Alessandro Calamuneri; Michele Gaeta; Vincenzo Salpietro; Marcello Longo

doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2016.02.018

3T Double Inversion Recovery Magnetic Resonance Imaging: diagnostic advantages in the evaluation of cortical development anomalies

Eur J Radiol. 2016 May;85(5):906-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2016.02.018. Epub 2016 Feb 21.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Neuroradiology Unit-Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Neuroradiology Unit-Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Italy; Biomedical department of internal and specialistic medicine, University of Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Neuroradiology Unit-Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatric and Anaesthesiological Sciences, Neurosurgery Unit, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Department of Neurosciences, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Neuroradiology Unit-Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Department of Pediatric, Gynecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ Department of Neurosciences, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁰ Neuroradiology Unit-Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹¹ Department of Pediatric, Gynecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹² Neuroradiology Unit-Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 27130050
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2016.02.018

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this work was to investigate the diagnostic value of the DIR sequence at 3T MR imaging operating in the evaluation of cortical development anomalies.

Methods: We studied 40 patients, with a previous diagnosis of cortical dysplasia, by FLAIR-3D, DIR, FSE T2 and MPR-GE T1 sequences at 3T MRI. Two independent observers evaluated, for each sequence and lesion, some semiological aspects (cortical thickness, cortical signal intensity, white-gray matter blurring, subcortical white matter intensity). We made also a quantitative evaluation of the cortical signal intensity in lesion site, drawing a ROI on each MRI sequences and comparing them to the correspondent normal contralateral cortical area.

Results: We identified 44 cortical development anomalies. Qualitative analyses showed a high level of agreement between the observers concerning DIR potentialities in detecting and characterizing the cortical development disorders. Particularly DIR sequence was able to demonstrate the blurring and the subcortical white matter anomalies. The quantitative analyses didn't show a significant difference between DIR and traditional sequences in the evaluation of the cortical signal intensity.

Conclusion: 3T MRI-DIR sequence is a useful and better suitable sequence compared to the traditional sequences in the characterization of some semiological aspects of the cortical development disorders, particularly blurring and subcortical white matter hyperintensity.

Keywords: Cortical dysplasia; DIR; Epilepsy; Polimicrogyria; Taylor; Tuberous sclerosis.

MeSH terms

Adult
Cerebral Cortex / abnormalities*
Cerebral Cortex / diagnostic imaging*
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
Male
Malformations of Cortical Development / diagnostic imaging*
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Reproducibility of Results