Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging of thyroid and parathyroid masses.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate spin-echo and contrast material-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in characterization of thyroid and parathyroid masses.


METHODS
Conventional T1- and T2-weighted, gadolinium-enhanced dynamic, and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo imaging sequences were performed in 85 patients with thyroid and parathyroid tumors. Findings from spin-echo imaging and dynamic curve patterns from mean signal intensity ratios were evaluated for each histologic tumor type.


RESULTS
T1- and T2-weighted imaging did not enable differentiation of benign from malignant tumors. Primary thyroid lymphoma enhanced less than other solid thyroid tumors, and parathyroid adenoma also enhanced less than other tumors (P < .05 compared with papillary carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging cannot enable prediction of histologic type in thyroid and parathyroid tumors. However, in cases of multiple tumors, the technique may improve the contrast between the different histologic types and sometimes suggest the diagnosis of primary thyroid lymphoma or parathyroid adenoma.
Nakahara
H
H
Department of Radiology, Miyazaki Medical College, Japan.
Noguchi
S
S
Murakami
N
N
Tamura
S
S
Jinnouchi
S
S
Kodama
T
T
Adjei
O N
ON
Nagamachi
S
S
Ohnishi
T
T
Futami
S
S
Flores
L G
LG
Watanabe
K
K
D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000175:diagnosis; D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA