Paramagnetic enhancement of cerebral lesions with gadolinium-DTPA.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 30 patients with cerebral symptoms before and after intravenous gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA) administration. T1 and T2 weighted images were obtained in all patients. Fifty abnormalities were found in 27 patients. The post-contrast images revealed lesions not seen on pre-contrast scans in 6 patients. Also, the post-contrast images showed a change in morphology of the lesions in 15 that provided additional information for assessing the abnormality. The Gd-DTPA did not obscure any of the lesions seen on pre-contrast scans. Gd-DTPA improves conspicuity, helps characterize and delineate the extent of lesions and increases the sensitivity for detection of cerebral abnormalities.