J Korean Radiol Soc.  1988 Dec;24(6):963-973. 10.3348/jkrs.1988.24.6.963.

MRI of intracranial calcifications

• Kang JW
• Chang KH
• Park JM
• Han MH
• Han MC
• Kim CW

• KMID: 2359166
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.1988.24.6.963

Abstract

Recently CT has been rapidly replaced by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosis of majority ofintracranial diseases. But MRI still has some limitation, one of which is its inferiority in detectingcalcification. MRI of intracranial calcification has been known to be varible in signal intensity, Weretrospectively analized the MRI of 26 patients with intracranial calcified lesions in order to evaluate the MRintenstiy of calcification and to assess the capability of MRI in detecting calcification in various intracraniallesions. All the MRI were obtained using routine T1-and T2-weighted spin-weighted spine eco pulse sequences on2.0T superconducting system. The 26 patients consited of 13 brain tumors(4 oligodendrogliomas, 2craniopharyngiomas, 2 astrocytomas, 1 germ cell tumor, 1 medulloblastoma, 1 ependymoma, and pathologicallyuncofirmed 2 cases), 11 infectious diseases (1 paragonimiasis, 1 sparganosis, 2 cysticercoses, 3 tuberculosis, and4 unknown cases ), and 2 undeterminned patholoiges. Eighty-two percent(9/11) of infections disease, and 50%(1/2)of undetermined group showed signal diminution or signal void on both T1-and T2-weighted image (T1WI ,T2WI).Twety-four percent (3/13) of brain tumors showed signal of brain tumors showed signal diminution on bothT1WI and T2WI. In 46%(6/13) and 61%(8/13) of brain tumors the signal intensities were isointense on T1WI and T2WI,respectively. Unexpectedly, 3 oligodendrogliomas showed high signal intensity on T1WI, two of which showedcomplexed signal intensity mixed with high, iso, and low signal intensities on T2WI. In remained cases (18%(2/11)of infectious diseases and 50%(1/2) of undertermined group) the signal intensities were mixed. With simultaneousreview of CT and MRI in each case, the calcification (at least one in cases showing multiple ones) wasidentifiable on MRI in 62% (8/13) of tumors, 82%(9/11) of infectious diseases, and 100%(2/2) in undeterminedgroup. In 36%(4/11) of infectious diseases, fewer number of calcific nodules were identifiable on MRI comparedwith CT. In 27%(7/26), any calcification was not identifiable on MRI. The identification of calcification ofintracranial calcification on MRI seemed to be due to multiple factors including small size (less than 3mm),location (within CSF space) and the signal intensity identical to the lesion adjacent to it. It is suggested thatnew pulse sequence(i.e. gradient echo etc) may well be used as adjunctive method for detecting more calcificationsand CT is still needed to detect the intracranial calcification.

MeSH Terms

Astrocytoma
Brain
Brain Neoplasms
Communicable Diseases
Cysticercosis
Diagnosis
Ependymoma
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Medulloblastoma
Methods
Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal
Oligodendroglioma
Paragonimiasis
Sparganosis
Spine
Tuberculosis