Gadofosveset-enhanced MRI for the assessment of rectal cancer lymph nodes: predictive criteria

• Published in: Abdominal imaging 2013-08, Vol.38 (4), p.720-727
• Main Authors: Lambregts, Doenja M. J., Heijnen, Luc A., Maas, Monique, Rutten, Iris J. G., Martens, Milou H., Backes, Walter H., Riedl, Robert G., Bakers, Frans C. H., Cappendijk, Vincent C., Beets, Geerard L., Beets-Tan, Regina G. H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Contrast Media; Female; Gadolinium; Gastroenterology; Hepatology; Humans; Imaging; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphatic Metastasis; Magnetic Resonance Angiography; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Organometallic Compounds; Radiology; Rectal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Rectal Neoplasms - pathology; Retrospective Studies; ROC Curve; Sensitivity and Specificity
• ISSN: 0942-8925; 2366-004X; 1432-0509; 2366-0058
• DOI: 10.1007/s00261-012-9957-4

Purpose To confirm the use of the nodal signal intensity (SI) and the ‘chemical shift’ artefact as diagnostic criteria for detecting nodal metastases from rectal cancer on gadofosveset contrast-enhanced MRI. Methods Thirty-three patients underwent a non-enhanced and gadofosveset-enhanced 3D-T1W GRE-MRI at 1.5T. For each lymph node, the SI of the middle part of the node (mSI) and white rim of the chemical shift artefact encircling the node (wSI) were measured on the non-enhanced and gadofosveset-enhanced images. Second, the aspect of the chemical shift artefact encircling the nodes was scored using a 4-point scale. Results were compared with histology on a node-by-node basis. Results 289 nodes (55 N+) were analysed. On gadofosveset-MRI, mSI and wSI were significantly higher for the benign than for the metastatic lymph nodes ( p