Effectiveness of MRI Using FLAIR Method for Diagnosis of Asymptomatic Cerebral Infarction / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

With a view to weighing the clinical significance of asymptomatic cerebral infarction, we analyzed the usefulness of the fluid attenuated inversion recovery method in magnetic resonance imaging. The subjects wee composed of 94 outpatients who participated in our screening program for brain troubles. Indications of asymptomatic cerebral infarction were registered on T2-weighted images of 21 subjects (22%) and on FLAIR images of 31 subjects (33%). The FLAIR method, in which the signals from the cerebrospinal fluid are checked, excelled at detecting lesions, especially those under the cerebral cortex which are almost indistinguishable from gray matter and sulci. The subjects with asymptomatic cerebral infarction had significantly many risk factors for stroke including hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Thus, we concluded that the FLAIR method is very useful in diagnosing asymptomatic cerebral infarction.