Felfeli P, Wenz H, Al-Zghloul M, Groden C, Förster A. Combination of standard axial and thin-section coronal diffusion-weighted imaging facilitates the diagnosis of brainstem infarction.
Brain Behav 2017;
7:e00666. [PMID:
28413710 PMCID:
PMC5390842 DOI:
10.1002/brb3.666]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Although diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a very sensitive technique for the detection of small ischemic lesions in the human brain, in particular in the brainstem it may fail to demonstrate acute ischemic infarction. In this study, we sought to evaluate the value of additional thin-section coronal DWI for the detection of brainstem infarction.
METHODS
In 155 consecutive patients (median age 69 [interquartile range, IQR 57-78] years, 95 [61.3%] males) with isolated brainstem infarction, MRI findings were analyzed, with emphasis on ischemic lesions on standard axial (5 mm) and thin-section coronal (3 mm) DWI.
RESULTS
On DWI, we identified ischemic lesions in the mesencephalon in 12 (7.7%), pons in 115 (74.2%), and medulla oblongata in 31 (20%) patients. In 3 (1.9%) cases-all of these with medulla oblongata infarction-the ischemic lesion was detected only on thin-section coronal DWI. Overall, in 35 (22.6%) patients the ischemic lesion was more easily identified on thin-section coronal DWI in comparison to standard axial DWI. In these, the ischemic lesions were significantly smaller (0.06 [IQR 0.05-0.11] cm3 vs. 0.25 [IQR 0.13-0.47] cm3; p < .001) in comparison to those patients whose ischemic lesion was more easily (6 [3.9%]) or at least similarly well identified (114 [73.5%]) on standard axial DWI.
CONCLUSIONS
Since thin-section coronal DWI may facilitate the diagnosis of brainstem infarction, we suggest its inclusion in standard stroke MRI protocols.
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