The magnetic resonance (MR) appearances in 12 successive cases of histologically verified meningioma are described. In six of these cases intravenous gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) (0.1 mmol/kg) was administered. Each of the eight tumours for which T1 was measured displayed an increase in T1 above that of white matter although the T2 was in the normal range for brain in two of four cases. Inversion recovery was the most useful sequence for demonstration of the tumour prior to administration of intravenous Gd-DTPA and also displayed the highest level of contrast enhancement after Gd-DTPA. The overall findings compared well with contrast enhanced X-ray CT.