FLAIR
Medical abbreviation · Medical Imaging
| Stands for | Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
FLAIR stands for Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, a medical imaging abbreviation.
MRI sequence that suppresses the bright signal of cerebrospinal fluid so that lesions next to fluid spaces stand out. It is the workhorse sequence for multiple sclerosis plaques, small vessel disease, edema, subarachnoid blood and many brain tumors.
Example: FLAIR shows multiple periventricular ovoid lesions perpendicular to the ventricles.
Usage notes
FLAIR images are T2-weighted with an inversion pulse timed to null fluid, so CSF looks dark while edema stays bright. Ovoid lesions radiating from the ventricles ("Dawson fingers") are classic for MS. Supplemental oxygen during anesthesia can make CSF appear falsely bright on FLAIR, mimicking subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Related abbreviations
More medical imaging abbreviations
- DEXA – Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
- DICOM – Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine
- DSA – Digital subtraction angiography
- DWI – Diffusion-weighted imaging
- DXA – Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
- FDG – Fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18)
- Fluoro – Fluoroscopy
- fMRI – Functional magnetic resonance imaging
- GBCA – Gadolinium-based contrast agent
- HRCT – High-resolution computed tomography
- HSG – Hysterosalpingogram
- HU – Hounsfield unit
See all 58 medical imaging abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.