Brain MRI with Contrast

Enhanced brain MRI with intravenous gadolinium contrast for improved detection of tumours, active inflammation, infection, and blood-brain barrier disruption. Includes pre- and post-contrast sequences.

The contrast-enhanced brain MRI adds gadolinium-based intravenous contrast to the standard brain protocol. Post-contrast T1-weighted sequences reveal areas of blood-brain barrier breakdown, which is the hallmark of active tumours, abscesses, and inflammatory lesions such as multiple sclerosis plaques during a relapse. The examination begins with the same native sequences as the standard brain MRI. After the baseline images are acquired, a small IV cannula is placed and gadolinium contrast is injected. Additional T1-weighted images in multiple planes are then obtained. The radiologist compares pre- and post-contrast series to characterise enhancing lesions, measure their extent, and assess treatment response in known cases. This scan is recommended when the native brain MRI has identified a suspicious lesion requiring further characterisation, for post-operative tumour surveillance, and when clinical presentation strongly suggests an inflammatory or infectious process. The contrast injection is well tolerated by most patients, with a low incidence of side effects.