Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging sequences in dogs with multi-focal intracranial disease

Cherubini, G B; Platt, S R; Howson, S; Baines, E A; Brodbelt, D C; Dennis, R

Abstract

To compare the value of different magnetic resonance sequences in the detection of brain lesions in dogs with multi-focal intracranial neurolocalised lesions and abnormal cisternal cerebrospinal fluid analysis. T2-weighted, T1-weighted, T1-weighted-Gd, FLAIR (fluid attenuated inversion recovery) images of 73 dogs with multi-focal intracranial localised lesions were reviewed retrospectively. Control dogs (19) were selected on the basis of normal neurological examination, magnetic resonance images and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Two board-certified radiologists blindly reviewed the magnetic resonance images. Magnetic resonance sequence sensitivities were compared using the chi-squared test and logistic regression, accounting for clustering at the patient level. Statistical significance was set at the 5 per cent level. The FLAIR sequence was found to have the highest sensitivity (84 per cent, 61 of 73), followed by T2-weighted (63 per cent, 46 of 73), T1-weighted postcontrast (62 per cent, 45 of 73) and T1-weighted (23 per cent, 17 of 73) (P < 0.001). FLAIR images were 106.1 times (95 per cent confidence interval 25.2 to 447.5) more likely to correctly identify cerebrospinal fluid-positive patients than T1-weighted, 6.4 times (95 per cent confidence interval 2.2 to 18.2) than T1-weighted postcontrast and 5.8 times (95 per cent confidence interval 2.0 to 16.4) than T2-weighted. FLAIR identified 14 per cent of cases that were classified as normal based on the three others sequences. Routine use of FLAIR sequence should be encouraged in dogs undergoing a brain magnetic resonance imaging and probably more specifically in cases of suspected inflammatory brain disease.

Citation

Cherubini, G. B., Platt, S. R., Howson, S., Baines, E. A., Brodbelt, D. C., & Dennis, R. Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging sequences in dogs with multi-focal intracranial disease. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 49(12), 634-640. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5827.2008.00628.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Deposit Date: Nov 11, 2014
• Journal: JOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE
• Print ISSN: 0022-4510
• Publisher: Wiley
• Volume: 49
• Issue: 12
• Pages: 634-640
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5827.2008.00628.x
• Public URL: https://rvc-repository.worktribe.com/output/1428832
• Additional Information: Corporate Creators : AHT, Dick White Referrals, Georgia