Comparison of cerebellopontine angle pathology on thin-section three-dimensional Fourier-transform gradient-echo and two-dimensional Fourier-transform spin-echo MR images

This paper compares Gd-DTPA-enhanced two-dimensional Fourier transform (2DFT) spin-echo MR images with enhanced 3DFT gradient-echo images in evaluating cerebellopontine angle (CPA) pathology. METHODS AND MATERIALS: One hundred ten patients were imaged at 1.5 T with a General Electric Signa system. In addition to routine noncontrast brain images, six 5-mm axial 2DFT contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (600/20 msec) spin-echo images and 60 1.5mm axial 3DFT contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (50/7.4 msec) gradient-echo images were obtained throughout the CPA. Abnormalities of the brain, skull base, basal cisterns, and CPAs were found in 47 patients; these included tortuous vertebrobasilar arteries (n = 15) acoustic (n = 5) or facial nerve (n = 1) schwannomas, metastatic disease (n = 2), and meningioma (n = 1)