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Open Access 01-06-2011 | Pictorial Review

New MR sequences in daily practice: susceptibility weighted imaging. A pictorial essay

Authors: Roberto Gasparotti, Lorenzo Pinelli, Roberto Liserre

Published in: Insights into Imaging | Issue 3/2011

Abstract

Background

Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is a relatively new magnetic resonance (MR) technique that exploits the magnetic susceptibility differences of various tissues, such as blood, iron and calcification, as a new source of contrast enhancement. This pictorial review is aimed at illustrating and discussing its main clinical applications.

Methods

SWI is based on high-resolution, three-dimensional (3D), fully velocity-compensated gradient-echo sequences using both magnitude and phase images. A phase mask obtained from the MR phase images is multiplied with magnitude images in order to increase the visualisation of the smaller veins and other sources of susceptibility effects, which are displayed at best after post-processing of the 3D dataset with the minimal intensity projection (minIP) algorithm.

Results

SWI is very useful in detecting cerebral microbleeds in ageing and occult low-flow vascular malformations, in characterising brain tumours and degenerative diseases of the brain, and in recognizing calcifications in various pathological conditions. The phase images are especially useful in differentiating between paramagnetic susceptibility effects of blood and diamagnetic effects of calcium. SWI can also be used to evaluate changes in iron content in different neurodegenerative disorders.

Conclusion

SWI is useful in differentiating and characterising diverse brain disorders.

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Title: New MR sequences in daily practice: susceptibility weighted imaging. A pictorial essay
Authors: Roberto Gasparotti
Lorenzo Pinelli
Roberto Liserre
Publication date: 01-06-2011
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Insights into Imaging / Issue 3/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1869-4101
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13244-011-0086-3

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New MR sequences in daily practice: susceptibility weighted imaging. A pictorial essay

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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