Cerebral Cavernous Hemangiomas at 7 Tesla: Initial Experience

Schlamann, Marc; Maderwald, Stefan; Becker, Wolfgang; Kraff, Oliver; Theysohn, Jens M.; Mueller, Oliver; Sure, Ulrich; Wanke, Isabel; Ladd, Mark E.; Forsting, Michael; Schaefer, Lena; Gizewski, Elke R.

doi:10.1016/j.acra.2009.10.001

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Volume 17, Issue 1 , Pages 3-6, January 2010

Cerebral Cavernous Hemangiomas at 7 Tesla:

Initial Experience

Marc Schlamann, MD
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
- Address correspondence to: M.S.
Stefan Maderwald, PhD
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Wolfgang Becker, MD
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
Oliver Kraff, PhD
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Jens M. Theysohn, MD
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Oliver Mueller, MD
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
Ulrich Sure, MD
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
Isabel Wanke, MD
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Mark E. Ladd, PhD
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Michael Forsting, MD
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Lena Schaefer, RT
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
Elke R. Gizewski, MD
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany

Received 6 September 2009; accepted 1 October 2009. published online 13 November 2009.

Rationale and Objectives

Cavernous malformations (cavernomas) occur in 0.4%–0.9% of the population. The most common symptoms of cavernous malformations are seizures. An improved detection of small cavernomas might possibly help to clarify cryptogenic seizures, which represent 30% of all seizures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of magnetic resonance imaging at a field strength of 7 T in the detection of cavernomas.

Materials and Methods

Ten consecutive patients with known cavernomas were enrolled in this study. First a T2∗-weighted gradient echo sequence was performed at 1.5 T with a slice thickness of 6 mm in axial orientation. Subsequently, the examination was repeated at 7 T. Both examinations were independently read by two blinded senior neuroradiologists. Localization and dimension of the hypointensities were recorded.

Results

One additional hypointensity was detected in one patient, which was not visible in the 1.5 T examination even retrospectively. In another patient with known cavernomatosis, innumerable new small hypointense lesions were detected at 7 T.