Characteristic Dynamic Enhancement Pattern of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Malignant Thyroid Tumor: A Preliminary Report

Most thyroid diseases are evaluated by radionuclide scintigraphy, sonography or percutaneous needle biopsy. Sonography is perhaps the most definitive method for evaluation of nodules in a thyroid gland. However, the disadvantages of this technique include limited penetration in some anatomic locations, such as retrotracheal and substernal areas, and a limited field of view for assessing large masses. Further, current diagnostic methods may not enable the accurate detection of the malignant nature of a thyroid nodule, especially in a multinodular goiter. Therefore, new techniques are being investigated to improve the evaluation of thyroid nodules. The magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has a minor role in the evaluation of most patients with thyroid nodules or goiters, because of inadequate spatial and contrast resolution and only a few cases documented. However, technological advances have provided good spatial and contrast resolution in the neck including the thyroid gland, parathyroid gland and lymph node. Also it has made available the dynamic keyhole imaging of the thyroid nodule with spin echo sequences. The aim of our study was to evaluate this new technique in the routine evaluation of possible thyroid cancer, and particularly for the determination of the characteristic MR dynamic Original Article