ObjectiveTo help junior radiologists and surgeons better interpret MRI images of rectal cancer.MethodThe guidelines, expert consensus and research progress on the application of MR imaging in rectal cancer in recent years were reviewed.ResultsRectal MR had the ability to accurately evaluate a number of important findings that may impact patient’ management, including distance of the tumor to the mesorectal fascia, presence of extramural vascular invasion, and presence of lymph nodes.ConclusionsRectal MRI is an important basis for clinical staging and multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment of rectal cancer. Surgeons and radiologists must master the key imaging anatomical basis and clinical practice points in order to accurately interpret the image information of MRI in rectal cancer.
ObjectiveTo analyze and conclude CT and MRI imaging features of ectopic pancreas in gastrointestinal tract so as to improve the understanding of the features.MethodsThe clinical, imaging, and pathological data of 12 patients with ectopic pancreas in the gastrointestinal tract confirmed by the pathology in the Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital from November 2016 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The characteristics of image presentation were summarized.Results① The anatomical distribution: all patients had a single lesion. Of the 12 cases, 6 cases located in the gastric body lesser curvature, 3 cases located in the gastric angle, 1 case located in the posterior wall of gastric antrum, 1 case occurred in the upper jejunum, and 1 case occurred in the terminal ileum; 8 cases located in the submucosa, 2 cases located in the submucosa and muscular layer simultaneously, 1 case located in the submucosa, muscular and serous layer simultaneously, and 1 case located in the muscular layer. ② Size of the lesions: the maxium dimensions of the lesions were all 3 cm or less, and the long axes of the lesions were parallel to the gastrointestinal tract wall in 10 cases. ③ The internal characteristics: the results of 9 of 11 cases showed the isodensity compared to main pancreas on the plain CT scan. The results of 8 patients with enhanced CT showed the moderate to obvious enhancement, with 2 cases showed the slightly enhanced flaky or tube-like foci. In the arterial phase and portal venous phase, 6 cases showed the isodensity compared to main pancreas respectively. The result of MRI in 1 patient showed the isointensity compared to main pancreas on the plain scan and obviously heterogeneous enhancement.ConclusionCT and MRI could provide some information about location, size, and internal density or intensity of ectopic pancreas, and could be helpful for diagnosis.
Objective To summarize the CT, MRI, and positron emission computed tomography (PET) imaging findings of hematologic malignancies of the pancreas, so as to improve the capacity of its diagnosis. Methods After searching articles concerning radiological research about hematologic malignancies of the pancreas, summarizing its imaging characteristics. Results Hematologic malignancies of the pancreas include pancreatic lymphoma, pancreatic multiple myeloma, myeloid sarcoma, posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder, and giant lymph node hyperplasia. ① Pancreatic lymphoma: imaging features of pancreatic lymphoma are segmental or diffuse homogeneous enlargement of the pancreas, diameter of mass >5 cm, adenopathy below the level of renal veins, and lack of pancreatic duct dilation. Blurred margins of pancreas by lymphadenopathy is highly suggestive of lymphoma. ② Pancreatic multiple myeloma: pancreatic multiple myeloma are hyperintense on both T1- and T2-weighted images. ③ Pancreatic granulocytic sarcoma: pancreatic granulocytic sarcoma present as homogeneous hypoenhancing mass on CT, usually without pancreatic duct dilation. On MRI, the lesions are isointense and mildly hyperintense on T1- and T2-weighted images respectively. ④ Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder: diameter of leison of posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder usually is >5 cm with poor enhancement. Lesions are mildly hyperintense on T2-weighted images and extremely hypermetabolic on PET images. ⑤ Giant lymph node hyperplasia: it mainly appear as solitary noninvasive masses. Punctate calcification and surrounding supply vessels are observed in hyaline vascular type. Plasma cell type demonstrate unapparent enhancement and less calcification. Conclusions Hematologic malignancies of the pancreas manifest different imaging features on CT, MRI, and PET. Familiarity with such characteristics helps to early recognize diseases and determine next-step measures.
Objective To clarify relationship between signal heterogeneity on hepatobiliary phase of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced MRI and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods From January 2014 to January 2017 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, a total of 77 patients with the pathologically proved HCC underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI prior to surgery were included in this study. On the basis of the signal heterogeneity in the hepatobiliary phase, the included patients were designed to homogeneous hypointensity group and heterogeneous hyperintensity group. The disease-free survival time were compared between the 2 groups and it’s influencing factors were analyzed. Results Seventy-seven patients with HCC were included, including 45 cases of homogeneous hypointensity and 32 cases of heterogeneous hyperintensity. There were no significant differences in the age, gender, etiology, liver function, alpha-fetoprotein, differentiated degree, Child-Pugh grade, lesion diameter, lesion border, and number of lesions between the 2 groups (P>0.05). However, the HCC patients with heterogeneous hyperintensity had a later BCLC staging (P=0.001). The disease-free survival time of the patients with homogeneous hypointensity and heterogeneous hyperintensity was (17.0±9.8) months and (12.4±10.4)months, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the disease-free survival time in the patients with homogeneous hypointensity was significantly better than that in the patients with heterogeneous hyperintensity (P=0.020). The results of univariate analysis showed that the other confounding factors had no effect on the disease-free survival time of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (P>0.05) except for the signal of hepatobiliary phase (P<0.05). Furthermore, the hepatobiliary phase signal, BCLC stage, and degree of differentiation, which might be clinically considered as potentially influencing for the prognosis of patients with HCC, were included in the Cox multivariate proportional hazard regression model and found that the heterogeneous hyperintensity was still the risk factor of the disease-free survival rate in patients with HCC (P=0.047). Conclusion Signal heterogeneity on hepatobiliary phase of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI is related to prognosis of patients with HCC, heterogeneous hyperintensity may indicate a lower disease-free survival rate.
Objective To summarize applications and research progress of common magnetic resonance imaging lipid detection techniques in abdomen and pelvis. Method The latest domestic and foreign research literatures related to the applications and research progress of common magnetic resonance imaging lipid detection techniques in the abdomen and pelvis in recent years were collected and reviewed. Results The fat-selective spectral-spatial imaging, 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), and Dixon & IDEAL are three main magnetic resonance imaging lipid detection techniques, and they can estimate the fat content in the normal tissues and lesions noninvasively and longitudinally, which make the ectopic fat-induced diseases’ early diagnosis, treatment and follow-up possible. Conclusion Magnetic resonance imaging lipid detection techniques have obvious clinical values in quantitative measurement of fat content, and each method gets its own advantage, especially modified Dixon, which is more convenient and accurate and shows an enormous potential in clinical practice.
Objective To summarize manifestation, imaging characteristics, and treatment of hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH). Methods From January 2007 to December 2016, the patients pathologically confirmed hepatic FNH were included in this study. The clinical features and imaging characteristics were analyzed retrospectively. Results Twenty-two cases were pathologically diagnosed as hepatic FNH with an age of (36.8±11.2) years (range from 20 to 61 years). Ten were males and 12 were females. Three patients had abdominal pain and 19 patients had no symptoms. The diameter of the lesions was (4.16±1.92) cm (range from 1.0 to 7.8 cm) and approximately 9 (40.9%) lesions were more than 5.0 cm. The diagnosis rates of CT and MRI were 64.70% (11/17) and 84.21% (16/19), respectively. All the patients underwent hepatectomy successfully and recovered without severe complications. No recurrence and metastasis happened during following-up of 1–103 months. Conclusions Hepatic FNH is more common in young patients and has no typical symptoms. MRI is useful in diagnosis of hepatic FNH.
ObjectiveTo summarize the research progress of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in normal-sized lymph node metastasis of colorectal cancer.MethodThe relevant literatures published recently at domestic and abroad about USPIO enhanced MRI in normal-sized lymph node metastasis of colorectal cancer were collected and reviewed.ResultsUSPIO, a kind of lymph node targeted magnetic resonance contrast agent, could be used to evaluate lymph node metastasis of malignant tumors. USPIO enhanced MRI could detect normal-sized lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer effectively compared with normal MRI. It provided a higher diagnostic performance than normal enhanced MRI. In addition, USPIO enhanced MRI could also distinguish inflammatory and metastatic lymph nodes better that were difficult to be distinguished by normal enhanced MRI.ConclusionUSPIO enhanced MRI shows a certain potential for clinical application in detecting normal-sized lymph node metastasis of colorectal cancer, but it has not been widely used in China.
ObjectiveTo summarize the value of imaging in the evaluation of non-surgical therapy for pancreatic cancer.MethodThe relevant literatures about imaging evaluation of non-surgical therapy for pancreatic cancer were collected to make an review.ResultsAt present, most of the imaging evaluation of non-surgical therapy for pancreatic cancer were based on the assessment of morphological characteristics of tumors, such as contrast-enhanced CT and MRI. However, only morphological changes of tumors could not accurately evaluate the response of pancreatic cancer after non-surgical treatment. A few studies had explored the value of functional imaging and artificial intelligence.ConclusionsNon-surgical therapy provides new treatment opportunities for unresectable pancreatic cancer, especially the proposed of neoadjuvant therapy, which provides the possibility of operation for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. More imaging indicators with stronger objectivity, higher accuracy, and wider universality need to be improved and developed in the future.
This study aims to detect early changes of kidney in patients with primary hypertension by 3.0 T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). 26 patients with primary hypertension (hypertension group) and 33 healthy volunteers (control group) underwent conventional and functional magnetic resonance scans, which included blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We measured renal cortical thickness (CT), parenchymal thickness (PT), and functional values of renal cortex and medulla including R2* value, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and fractional anisotropy (FA) value in each group, and then calculated the cortical/parenchymal thickness ratio (CPR). Compared with those in the control group, CT and CPR in hypertension group were larger (P<0.01), cortical and medullar R2* values increased (P<0.01) whereas medullar FA values decreased (P<0.05). It could be well concluded that noninvasive 3.0 T functional MRI would have important clinical significance in identifying early abnormalities of kidney in hypertension patients.
Migraine is the most common primary headache clinically, with high disability rate and heavy burden. Functional MRI (fMRI) plays a significant role in the study of migraine. This article reviews the main advances of migraine without aura (MwoA) based on resting-state fMRI in recent years, including the exploration of the mechanism of fMRI in the occurrence and development of MwoA in terms of regional functional activities and functional network connections, as well as the research progress of the potential clinical application of fMRI in aiding diagnosis and assessing treatment effect for MwoA. At last, this article summarizes the current distresses and prospects of fMRI research on MwoA.