The 21% increase in lesions found using a 3.0 tesla MRI indicate that lots of small lesions cannot be found with the more common 1.5 Tesla MRI.

JackD



1: Invest Radiol. 2003 Jul;38(7):423-7.

Comparison of multiple sclerosis lesions at 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla.

Sicotte NL, Voskuhl RR, Bouvier S, Klutch R, Cohen MS, Mazziotta JC.

Department of Neurology, Division of Brain Mapping, University of California Los
Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative sensitivity of MR scanning for multiple
sclerosis (MS) at 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3.0 T using identical acquisition
conditions, as is typical of multicenter clinical trials. METHODS: Twenty-five
subjects with MS were scanned at 1.5 T and 3.0 T using fast spin echo, and
T(1)-weighted SPGR with and without gadolinium contrast injections. Image data,
blinded to field strength, were analyzed using automated segmentation and lesion
counting.

RESULTS: Relative to scanning at 1.5 T, the 3.0 T scans showed a 21%
increase in the number of detected contrast enhancing lesions, a 30% increase in
enhancing lesion volume and a 10% increase in total lesion volume.

DISCUSSION:
The improved detection ability using high-field MR imaging is prominent even
when sequence parameters are optimized around the midfield units. Multicenter
trials using both 1.5 T and 3.0 T instruments may be affected by these
sensitivity differences.

PMID: 12821856 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]