Clinical applications of magnetic resonance contrast media in the head.

The clinical utility of paramagnetic metal ion chelates for contrast enhancement in MRI of the brain is well established. Contrast administration provides both improved sensitivity and specificity with respect to diagnosis in neoplasia, infection, demyelinating disease, infarction, and arteriovenous abnormalities. On the basis of results from prospective studies, use of enhanced scans, in addition to baseline precontrast T1- and T2-weighted scans, is advocated in all patient studies in which there is a high index of suspicion with respect to intracranial pathology.