[Evaluation of pancreatic cancer extent using balanced turbo field echo (bTFE)].
OBJECTIVE
Recent advances in MR system technology have allowed for the development of new imaging techniques. Balanced turbo field echo (bTFE) is one such example. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of bTFE for evaluating pancreatic cancer extent.


METHODS
45 patients with pathologically proven pancreatic cancer were examined with bTFE. The images obtained were evaluated by the consensus of two radiologists, from the following viewpoints: tumor detection and vascular invasion, e.g., celiac axis (CA); superior mesenteric artery (SMA); portal vein (PV); and splenic artery (SA). The results of vascular evaluation were compared with those of dynamic CT.


RESULTS
All tumors were demonstrated on bTFE images, however, tumors in the pancreatic head were less clear than those in the pancreatic body. Vascular evaluation on bTFE images was in good agreement with that on dynamic CT scan.


CONCLUSIONS
bTFE is a useful method for evaluating pancreatic cancer extent. Because image quality does not show overt changes in this sequence as time passes, unlike so-called dynamic study, not only are divided scans or respiration-trigered scans available, but repeated scans and multi-directional image acquisition can be performed as well.
Division of Diagnostic Radiology, National Cancer Center Hospital East.
Seiko
S
Kuroki
Katsuhiro
K
Nasu
Yoshifumi
Y
Kuroki
Koji
K
Murakami
Takayuki
T
Hayashi
Ryuzo
R
Sekiguchi
Shigeru
S
Nawano
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D019043:Vascular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*