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In vivo visualization of mesoscopic anatomy of healthy and pathological lymph nodes using 7T MRI: A feasibility study
Author(s) -
Freitag Martin T.,
Breithaupt Mathies,
Berger Moritz,
Umathum Reiner,
Nagel Armin M.,
Hassel Jessica,
Ladd Mark E.,
Schlemmer HeinzPeter,
Semmler Wolfhard,
Stieltjes Bram
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.24686
Subject(s) - lymph , medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , metastasis , in vivo , nuclear medicine , radiology , ultrasound , pathology , cancer , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Purpose To evaluate whether inguinal lymph nodes (LNs) may be visualized in vivo using 7T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at high spatial resolution. Materials and Methods Twelve healthy controls and six patients with LN metastasis of melanoma were included. Examinations were performed using a 7T MRI and a transmit/receive loop coil. The protocol included a B 0 ‐map, B 1 ‐map, and T 1 ‐weighted‐3D‐fast low‐angle shot (FLASH), T 1 w‐Dixon‐volumetric interpolated breath‐hold examination (VIBE) and T 2 w sequences lasting 34.4 ± 0.5 minutes. Signal‐ and contrast‐to‐noise of LNs, artery, muscle, and fat were quantified in controls. Metastatic features of LNs (hypervascularization, lymph vessels, fat hilus sign, tumor bulk, number of metastases, and size) were classified in patients. Results Mesoscopic LN architecture such as central blood vessels and peripheral lymph vessels were observed in healthy controls with 0.5 mm 3 isotropic resolution for T 1 w and 0.2 × 0.2 × 2 mm 3 for T 2 w sequences. Mean signal‐to‐noise using 3D FLASH, Dixon VIBE and T 2 TSE of healthy LN (27.2 ± 7.5, 35.3 ± 11.9, 31.7 ± 11.1), muscle (17.6 ± 4.6, 31.5 ± 9.3, 7.3 ± 5.4), artery (37.7 ± 5.9, 42.7 ± 19.7, 3.7 ± 3.9), and saturated fat (3.7 ± 0.9, 5.4 ± 1.9, 9.3 ± 5.2) and mean contrast‐to‐noise LN/fat (24.4 ± 6.7, 39.6 ± 11.1, 23.3 ± 6.1) were adequate. In patients, multiple signs of metastasis could be clearly visualized. Conclusion We present a protocol with which inguinal LNs and their mesoscopic anatomy may be visualized in vivo using 7T MRI. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:1405–1412. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.