The review highlighted that all IR sequences have their own characteristics, making some more suitable than others depending on the specific requirements of the study.

FLAIR sequences, especially 3D FLAIR with isotropic voxels and reduced slice thickness [1,2], are essential for detecting cortical and subcortical abnormalities [3], improving spatial resolution and minimising artifacts.

DIR  images can generate signals from a specific tissue while nulling the signals from further tissues, therefore it offers enhanced sensitivity in identifying cortical dysplasias [4]. Also, it has been shown that Phase Sensitive Inversion Recovery (PSIR) may be useful in the evaluation of cortical dysplasias [5,6,7].

While Magnetisation Prepared – RApid Gradient Echo (MPRAGE) or 3D Turbo Field Echo (TFE) and Magnetisation Prepared – 2 Rapid Gradient Echo (MP2RAGE) can provide an important epilepsy assessment, improving the detection of lesions [8]. 

Other advanced sequences like Edge-Enhancing Gradient Echo (EDGE) and FLuid And White matter Suppression (FLAWS) provide superior tissue contrast and improved detection of difficult-to-spot lesions. These sequences have progressively improved with technological advancements, enhancing lesion detection accuracy. In particular, FLAWS shows promise in enhancing the visualisation of white matter (WM) alterations such as Focal Cortical Dysplasia (FCD) or other epileptogenic areas [9]. While, EDGE has been shown to provide an optimal contrast for detecting the transmantle sign, enabling more precise delineation of the full extent of FCD and improving the accuracy of lesion resection [10].

Lastly, Fast Grey matter Acquisition T1 Inversion Recovery (FGATIR) primary role in brain imaging is the differentiation of subcortical structures for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) targeting [11].