Magnetic resonance imaging differential diagnosis of brainstem lesions in children

Table 1 Optimized conventional imaging protocol at 1.5 Tesla (Magnetom Avanto B13, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany), configured with a 12 element designed head matrix coil

1.5 T	Plane	Seq.	TR (msec)	TE/TI (msec)	Flip angle	Slice (mm)	FOV	NEX	Matrix size	Scan time
Neonates	Axial1	SE T1w	450-650	12	90	3	200	3	192 × 256	4.30
	Axial	IR	8400	60/350	180	3	230	2	176 × 512	4.30
	Coronal Axial	TSE T2w	8900	99	145	3	200	2	176 × 256	5.00
	Axial2	GRE T21w	640	18	35	5	200	2	160 × 256	3.30
	Axial DWI (b0 and b800)	EPI	5700	139	-	5	200	4	96 × 128	1.00
Infants and adolescents	Axial	FLAIR T2w	7000	110/2000	180	3	200	3	154 × 256	4.30
	Axial1	SE T1w	450-650	12	90	3	200	3	192 × 256	4.30
	Axial	IR	8400	60/350	180	3	230	2	176 × 512	4.30
	Coronal	TSE T2w	8900	99	145	3	200	2	176 × 256	5.00
	Axial2	GRE T21w	640	18	35	5	200	2	160 × 256	3.30
	Axial DWI (b0 and b1000)	EPI	5700	139	-	5	200	4	96 × 128	1.00

SE: Spin echo; TSE: Turbo spin echo; IR: Inversion recovery; GRE: Gradient echo; FLAIR: Fluid attenuated inversion recovery; TR: Repetition time; TE: Echo time; TI: Inversion time; FOV: Field of view; DWI: Diffusion weighted imaging; EPI: Echo planar imaging. Scan Time is expressed in minutes.

¹: Contrast agent if necessary;

²: Only if suspicion of bleeding.