Application of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in diagnostic imaging of brain pathologies - a practical approach.

Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) has been broadly incorporated to MR protocols as it provides unique additional diagnostic information in a wide variety of neurological conditions. SWI exploits local field inhomogeneities created by various paramagnetics (deoxyhaemoglobin, blood breakdown products), diamagnetics (calcium) or oxygenated blood, hereby provides contrast based on magnetic susceptibility. In this review we present various examples from everyday clinical practice including, among others, acute stroke, neurodegenerative disorders, haemorrhagic lesions, vascular malformations, mycotic intracranial aneurysm, primary central nervous system vasculitis, neoplasms in which SWI was essential for diagnosis. The strongest indications for SWI applications are the neurodegenerative and neuro-vascular diseases, therefore this review is aimed at a wide range of clinicians, mainly neurologists, neurosurgeons and radiologists.