Premium
Enhanced Resolution of Pituitary Fossa by Threeߚdimensional Fatsuppressed GradientߚEcho Magnetic Resonance: Before and After Gadolinium Enhancement
Author(s) -
Rao Vijay M.,
Vinitski Simon,
Babaria Ashok,
Flanders Adam,
Mishkin Mark M.,
Gonzalez Carlos
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of neuroimaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1552-6569
pISSN - 1051-2284
DOI - 10.1111/jon19911295
Subject(s) - medicine , gadolinium , gradient echo , magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance , nuclear medicine , echo (communications protocol) , radiology , physics , materials science , computer network , computer science , metallurgy
In imaging small anatomical parts such as the pituitary fossa, thin sections enhance the spatial resolution. Gradient recalled images (GRASS) using three‐dimensional volume data produce ultrathin contiguous sections with a high signal‐to‐noise ratio. In this study, conventional spin‐echo magnetic resonance images (MRis) of the pituitary fossa were compared to threedimensional gradient recalled MRI in 5 volunteers and 10 patients suspected of having pituitary gland abnormalities. Utility of fat suppression was also assessed, along with gadolinium enhancement. Conventional spin‐echo and three‐dimensional spoiled GRASS images, three‐dimensional spoiled GRASS images without and with fat suppression (Group II), and three‐dimensional spoiled GRASS images with fat suppression before and after gadolinium enhancement were compared. Three‐dimensional spoiled GRASS images provided better delineation of the pituitary fossa structures. There was differential enhancement between the normal gland and pituitary tumors. The fat suppression technique following gadolinium administration helped separate the high signal of tumor from the high signal of the clivus marrow. In conclusion, T1‐weighted three‐dimensional gradient‐echo images with fat suppression following gadolinium enhancement appear promising in evaluation.