MRI

Gd-DTPA

CT

US

Fifteen patients (24 eyes) with retinoblastoma were studied with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US): Seven (13 eyes) of the 15 patients were examined with Gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging. The advantage and disadvantage of MR imaging were evaluated, comparing with CT and US. Retinoblastoma was imaged with slight hyperintensity relative to the vitrous on T1-weighted image and hyperintensity on T2-weighted image. After intravenous Gd-DTPA injection, the tumors showed a significant signal increase, which improved the detectability. In the diagnosis of retinoblastoma, MR imaging was not as specific as CT and US because it could not detect calcification. Moreover, since MR imaging is slower than CT and US in scan time, it was not suitable for the examination of young children. However MR imaging proved useful in the detection and evaluation of associated retinal detachment. We conclude that MR imaging, including Gadolinium-enhanced study, is as useful as CT and US in the diagnosis of retinoblastoma, except for the detection of calcification. We hope that a fast scanning MR technique could be used in the evaluation of retinoblastoma.