Open Access
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Radiol Imaging
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1811934
Technical Reports

A Potential Pitfall in Brachial Plexus Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Better Blood Vessel Suppression Can Lead to Lesion Suppression

Authors

  • Vivek Chopda

    1   Institute of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oldenburg, Universitätsmedizin Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
    2   Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
  • Christian Mathys

    1   Institute of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oldenburg, Universitätsmedizin Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
    3   Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
  • Holger Bösenberg

    1   Institute of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oldenburg, Universitätsmedizin Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
  • Benedikt Sundermann

    1   Institute of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oldenburg, Universitätsmedizin Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
    3   Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
    4   Clinic of Radiology, Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Münster, Germany

Funding None.
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Abstract

It has been increasingly popular to acquire short tau inversion recovery (STIR) images in brachial plexus magnetic resonance imaging after injection of a gadolinium-based contrast medium in order to improve blood vessel suppression. This example highlights the potential pitfall that the signal of plexus lesions and anatomical structures such as the dorsal root ganglia can be suppressed in gadolinium-enhanced STIR compared with nonenhanced STIR images.

Authors' Contributions

V.C.: idea, original draft. C.M.: supervision, revision for important content. H.B.: idea, supervision, revision for important content. B.S.: idea, supervision, revision for important content, figure preparation.


Ethical Approval

Ethical approval is not applicable (clinical case/routine image, no original research).


Patient's Consent

The patient provided written informed consent for the publication of the image. However, no potentially identifying information is provided in the figure or text.




Publication History

Article published online:
19 September 2025

© 2025. Indian Radiological Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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