Preoperative mapping of lymphatic drainage from the tumor using ferumoxide-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in clinical submucosal thoracic squamous cell esophageal cancer.
BACKGROUND
In thoracic esophageal cancer, lymph node metastases distribute widely from the neck to the abdominal area as a result of a complex periesophageal lymphatic network. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential clinical utility of a new method of mapping lymphatic drainage from tumors using ferumoxide-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).


METHODS
Twenty-three patients with clinical submucosal thoracic squamous cell esophageal cancer were examined. Ferumoxides were injected endoscopically into the peritumoral submucosal layer, after which their appearance in the lymph nodes in the neck, superior mediastinum, and abdomen was evaluated using MRI.


RESULTS
Flux of ferumoxides from tumors was detected in all 23 patients. Among the 20 patients with middle and lower thoracic esophageal cancers, there was no lymphatic drainage to the neck in 5 (25%) patients, none to the neck and superior mediastinum in 4 (20%), and none to the abdomen in 2 (10%), which could enable the extent of lymph node dissection to be reduced. We diagnosed clinical negative lymph node metastasis (N0) in 17 patients; the remaining 6 patients were diagnosed with clinical lymph node metastasis. Two patients (12%) diagnosed clinical N0, showed pathologic lymph node metastasis. Ferumoxide-enhanced MRI detected an influx of contrast agent into the metastatic node in both patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Ferumoxide-enhanced MRI lymphatic mapping enables detection of the direction and area of lymphatic flux. It thus has the potential to improve our ability to gauge the appropriate extent of treatment in clinical submucosal squamous cell esophageal cancer.
Motoyama
Satoru
S
Department of Surgery, Akita University School of Medicine, Japan. motoyama@doc.med.akita-u.ac.jp <motoyama@doc.med.akita-u.ac.jp>
Ishiyama
Koichi
K
Maruyama
Kiyotomi
K
Okuyama
Manabu
M
Sato
Yusuke
Y
Hayashi
Kaori
K
Nanjo
Hiroshi
H
Saito
Hajime
H
Minamiya
Yoshihiro
Y
Ogawa
Jun-Ichi
J
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013909:Thorax
D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide