J Korean Soc Radiol.  2023 Jan;84(1):226-239. 10.3348/jksr.2022.0080.

Comparison of Single- and Multi-Echo Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging in Detecting Cerebral Arteriovenous Shunts: A Preliminary Study

• Han SW
• Shin JH
• Ihn YK
• Yang SH
• Sung JH

• KMID: 2539276
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2022.0080

Abstract

Purpose
To compare the sensitivities of T2-weighted image (T2WI) and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in detecting cerebral arteriovenous fistula (AVF), cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM), and carotid-cavernous sinus fistula (CCF), and to qualitatively evaluate single-echo SWI (s-SWI) and multi-echo SWI (m-SWI) in characterizing vascular lesions.
Materials and Methods
From January 2016 to December 2021, cerebral angiography-proven lesions were recruited. The sensitivities of T2WI and SWI in detecting vascular lesions were compared using McNemar’s test. Qualitative evaluations of s-SWI and m-SWI were categorized to be of poor, average, or good quality and compared using Fisher’s exact test.
Results
A total of 24 patients (mean age: 61 years, 12 female, and 12 male) were enrolled. Twenty patients underwent s-SWI or m-SWI, and four patients underwent both. AVF, AVM, and CCF were diagnosed in 10, 11, and 3 patients, respectively. SWI demonstrated higher sensitivity compared to that of T2WI (82.1% vs. 53.6%, p = 0.013). m-SWI showed better image quality compared to that of s-SWI (good quality, 83.3% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.009).
Conclusion
SWI demonstrated a higher sensitivity for detecting cerebral arteriovenous shunts compared to that of T2WI. m-SWI exhibited better image quality compared to that of s-SWI in characterizing vascular lesions.

Keyword

Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Arteriovenous Fistula; Arteriovenous Malformation; Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula; Angiography