Comparative Analysis of Conventional MRI and SWI in Diagnosing Cerebral Cavernous Angioma At 3.0 T MRI Scanner

Objective To analyze the manifestations and diagnostic values of conventional MRI and susceptibility weighted imaging(SWI) in cerebral cavernous angioma(CA).Methods Conventional MRI(T1WI,T2WI) and SWI data of 53 patients with CA proved clinical follow-up and surgical pathology were retrospectively analyzed.All patients underwent conventional MRI and SWI examinations.Among them,2 cases underwent contrast-enhanced MRI.Results Fifty-five and 60 lesions were detected on T1WI and T2WI retrospectively,the lesions showed hypo-intensity on T1WI and hyper-intensity on T2WI in 8 cases,Mixed hyper-and hypointensity in 45 cases,predominantly hemosiderin ring on T2WI in 32 cases.84 lesions were detected on SWI.Fifty-three cases showed solitary or multiple patching,nodosity hypointensity on SWI.Seven CA lesions combined with venous malformation showed Jellyfish-like low signal intensity or enhancement.The lesions showed bigger on SWI than on T1WI and T2WI,and SWI could show more lesions than T1WI and T2WI.The biggest lesions diameter of CA between SWI and T1WI,T2WI was statistical significance(P0.05).Conclusion SWI is more sensitive in showing small CA lesions than conventional MRI.SWI has more important clinical value in the diagnosis of CA.