Understanding T2 Hyperintensity: Causes and Significance

Signal intensities on T2 sequences:

* Hyperintense: Increased signal is the most prominent finding on T2-weighted images. This is seen in almost all pathologies which contain an increased water content.

* Hypointense: This suggests that there is a decreased amount of free water in the brain/spinal cord. This can be seen with calcifications, which contain no free water, and in chronic infarcts, which lose their water content over time.

* Isointense: This means the signal intensity of a structure appears the same as that of the surrounding tissue. Often, if a structure is isointense, it can indicate that there has not been any substantial change to the structure.