Clinical applications of diffusion weighted imaging in neuroradiology

Insights Into Imaging
Marta Drake-PérezMaria Isabel Vargas

Abstract

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has revolutionised stroke imaging since its introduction in the mid-1980s, and it has also become a pillar of current neuroimaging. Diffusion abnormalities represent alterations in the random movement of water molecules in tissues, revealing their microarchitecture, and occur in many neurological conditions. DWI provides useful information, increasing the sensitivity of MRI as a diagnostic tool, narrowing the differential diagnosis, providing prognostic information, aiding in treatment planning and evaluating response to treatment. Recently, there have been several technical improvements in DWI, leading to reduced acquisition time and artefacts and enabling the development of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as a tool for assessing white matter. We aim to review the main clinical uses of DWI, focusing on the physiological mechanisms that lead to diffusion abnormalities. Common pitfalls will also be addressed. • DWI includes EPI, TSE, RESOLVE or EPI combined with reduced volume excitation. • DWI is the most sensitive sequence in stroke diagnosis and provides information about prognosis. • DWI helps in the detection of intramural haematomas (arterial dissection). • In diffusion imaging, ADC is inver...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 11, 2020·Insights Into Imaging·Vivek PaiBela Purohit
Jun 24, 2020·Radiology·Alexandre BoutetAndres M Lozano
Feb 24, 2019·Insights Into Imaging·C TuttleM I Vargas
Jun 22, 2020·La Radiologia medica·Ma LihengGiuseppe Guglielmi
May 22, 2020·Journal of Neuroimaging : Official Journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging·Nikita LakomkinJ Mocco
Apr 28, 2021·Magnetic Resonance Imaging Clinics of North America·Steven P Meyers
Nov 26, 2019·Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology·Pauline ChauvetAdrien Bartoli
May 28, 2021·Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research : JSLHR·Emily B GoldbergArgye E Hillis
May 18, 2021·Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society·Bin LvSheng-Yuan Yu
Jun 27, 2021·Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine·I G AgafonovaB I Geltcer
Oct 2, 2021·Neuroradiology·Siddhartha GaddamanuguAparna Singhal
Dec 30, 2021·International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics·Yi LaoWensha Yang

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
dissection
surgical resection

Software Mentioned

RESOLVE
ADEM

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