T1-weighted MR imaging of glioma at 3T: a comparative study of 3D MPRAGE vs. conventional 2D spin-echo imaging

This study aims to investigate difference between magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo imaging (MPRAGE) and spin-echo (SE) imaging for evaluating glioma on pre-contrast-enhanced (CE) and post-CE T1-weighted images at 3 T. We retrospectively assessed pre-CE and post-CE T1-weighted images for tumor contrast in 64 consecutive glioma patients. In the nonenhancing tumors, the contrast was significantly clearer in MPRAGE than SE. In the enhancing tumors, post-CE contrast ratio was significantly higher in SE than MPRAGE, but when subtraction images are evaluated, the difference got smaller. MPRAGE can be a good substitute of SE for T1-weighted imaging of glioma.