PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Prager, J M
AU  - Rosenblum, J D
AU  - Huddle, D C
AU  - Diamond, C K
AU  - Metz, C E
TI  - The magnetization transfer effect in cerebral infarction.
DP  - 1994 Sep 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 1497--1500
VI  - 15
IP  - 8
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/15/8/1497.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/15/8/1497.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.1994 Sep 01; 15
AB  - PURPOSE To estimate the age of cerebral infarcts using magnetization transfer. METHODS Twelve patients with radiographically and clinically documented cortical and subcortical cerebral infarctions underwent MR imaging on a 0.1T magnet. Magnetization transfer contrast images were generated by application of off-resonance pulses to every other repetition time on intermediate-weighted images. The magnetization transfer effect was calculated by obtaining an intensity value in the region of interest within the infarcted area. RESULTS The data show a pattern in which the magnetization transfer effect decreases as the chronicity of the infarct increases. Infarcts less than 1 week old had an average magnetization transfer effect of 0.35. Those more than 1 week and less than 1 month old average 0.30. Infarcts more than 1 month and specifically those more than 1 year old averaged 0.16 or less. CONCLUSION Magnetization transfer offers the potential to estimate the age of cerebral infarcts.