Chronic infiltrative lung diseases: value of gadolinium-enhanced MRI in the evaluation of disease activity--early report.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the value of gadolinium-enhanced MRI in the assessment of disease activity in chronic infiltrative lung diseases (CILDs).


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-five consecutive patients with CILD were studied. The following diseases were diagnosed: sarcoidosis (n = 10), bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (n = 3), usual interstitial pneumonia (n = 4), radiation pneumonia (n = 2), desquamative interstitial pneumonia (n = 1), rheumatoid lung (n = 1), vasculitis (n = 1), alveolar proteinosis (n = 1), bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (n = 1), and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (n = 1). In each patient, the disease activity was assessed by one or more of the following studies: BAL (n = 18), gallium-radioisotope lung scanning (n = 6), serum angiotensin-converting enzyme assay (n = 10), and open lung biopsy (n = 4). T1-weighted breath-hold MRI studies were obtained before and after IV injection of gadolinium. The MRI examinations were analyzed to assess the presence or absence of lesional enhancement.


RESULTS
The presence of enhanced pulmonary lesions was seen in 14 patients. All of these patients had active disease. Of the 17 patients with active disease, 14 had enhanced lesions, and 3 had unenhanced lesions. Pulmonary lesions were not enhanced in any patients with inactive disease. The difference was statistically significant (Fisher Exact Test, p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Gadolinium-enhanced MRI may prove to be a useful tool in assessing disease activity in CILDs.
Gaeta
M
M
Institutes of Scienze Radiologiche, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Blandino
A
A
Scribano
E
E
Minutoli
F
F
Barone
M
M
Andò
F
F
Pandolfo
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D005682:Gadolinium