[Fat-saturated, contrast-enhanced spin-echo sequences in the magnetic resonance tomographic diagnosis of peritoneal carcinosis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate contrast-enhanced, fat-saturated spin echo sequences for the detection of peritoneal carcinosis with MRI.


METHODS
61 patients, 35 with and 26 without peritoneal carcinosis, were examined with abdominal MRI. Fat-saturated, T1-weighted spin echo sequences were performed before and after administration of Gd-DTPA. In addition, 22 patients with peritoneal carcinosis were examined with contrast-enhanced abdominal CT.


RESULTS
32 of 35 patients with peritoneal carcinosis demonstrated contrast enhancement of the visceral and 30 of 35 enhancement of the parietal peritoneum (91 and 86%, respectively). Wall thickening of the intestine or parietal peritoneum were noted in 21 and 20 of 35 patients (60 and 57%, respectively), ascites in 18 of 35 patients (51%). False positive contrast enhancement of the peritoneum was noted in 4 of 26 patients (15%). In the direct comparison of MRI and CT, 22 of 22 patients versus 7 of 22 patients showed contrast enhancement of the visceral peritoneum (100 and 32%, respectively). For other signs of peritoneal carcinosis (e.g., ascites, peritoneal seedings), no differences in diagnostic reliability were demonstrated.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of fat-saturated, spin echo sequences facilitates the diagnosis of peritoneal carcinosis by artifact reduction and improved detection of peritoneal contrast enhancement. MRI with fat-saturated sequences was superior to CT.
Ricke
J
J
Strahlenklinik und Poliklinik, Charité Virchow-Klinikum, Medizinische Fakultät, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. jens@charite.de
Sehouli
J
J
Hosten
N
N
Stroszczynski
C
C
Amthauer
H
H
Rieger
J
J
Buchmann
E
E
Felix
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA