title: Assessing response to therapy of spinal metastases with gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging.
abstract: The utility of gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in assessing the response of spinal metastases to therapy was evaluated. Fifteen patients (62 affected vertebral bodies) with spinal metastases were evaluated with gadopentetate dimeglumine-enhanced imaging before and after irradiation or chemotherapy. Signal intensities of the lesions and of adjacent normal vertebral bodies were compared. Before therapy, metastatic foci enhanced significantly more than did normal vertebral bodies. After therapy, the lesions were divided into 37 responding lesions (group 1) and 25 nonresponding lesions (group 2). In group 1, lesion enhancement diminished considerably and the patients with these lesions remained clinically asymptomatic for 2-6 months. In group 2, lesion enhancement did not diminish much, and the difference between the groups was significant. Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging may thus be a useful method for assessing the effectiveness of therapy for spinal metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kajitani
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okizuka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugihara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizutani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishida
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA