The value of MRI and MR DWI in diffuse lesion of the cerebral hemisphere

OBJECTIVE: To study the MRI and DWI appearance of diffuse lesion in the bilateral cerebral hemisphere. METHODS: 19 patients with diffuse lesion in the cerebral hemisphere were concluded in the study, 9 were male and 10 were female. The age range is from 16 to 70 years old and mean age is 45 years old. All of the patients performed MR scan on Philips 1.5 T MRI system. The parameters of SE-EPI DWI sequence, TR/TE 6225/118.7 ms, ETL 128, FLIP 90°, thickness 5 mm, matrix 128 × 128, b = 1000 mm(2)/s. RESULTS: 3 cases of CJD which showed bilateral diffuse high signal intensity in the cerebral hemisphere on DWI, 4 cases of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) adhesive toxication, 2 cases of viral encephalitis, 3 cases of liver failure-related brain edema, 1 cases of delayed encephalopathy of CO toxication, all of the lesions showed high signal intensity both on DWI and ADC sequences. On the following MRI, most of the high signal recovered and the high signal disappeared. 4 cases of asphyxia with coma, 2 cases of H(2)S toxication, The lesion of them showed high signal intensity on DWI and low signal on ADC. CONCLUSION: DWI can sensitively show the lesion with limited diffusion. The patients with high signal intensity on both DWI and ADC indicating T(2) effect.