Spin echo and inversion recovery sequences for gadolinium-DTPA enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of intracranial tumors.

In 36 patients with intracranial tumors, gadolinium (Gd)-DTPA-enhanced SE 400/35, SE 800/35 and IR 1500/400/35 sequences were intraindividually compared. Contrast enhancement usually was shown to better advantage with the IR sequence. Post-contrast SI of tumor tissue was isointense with white matter on IR images in many cases whereas SE sequences displayed enhancing tumor with high contrast versus brain. Post-contrast tumor delineation, therefore, was better with the SE sequences especially in white matter lesions without perifocal edema. The SE 400/35 sequence which allows for contrast-enhanced MRI within a relatively short time is suggested for Gd-DTPA studies of brain tumors.