[Evaluation of whole body MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI in detecting intranodal lesions in patients with lymphoma].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the whole body MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI in detecting intranodal lesions in patients with lymphoma.


METHODS
Whole body MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) were performed in 23 patients with histologically proven lymphoma. A conventional coronal MRI scan from head to inguinal groove was done for whole body scanning. In the DWI, axial MRI scans were performed after segmentation based on SENSE technique, and all images were merged into whole body image reconstruction by software.


RESULTS
417 lymph nodes were detected by MRI in the 23 patients. The overall positive rate of whole body MRI and DWI was 79.1% and 89.7%, respectively. It was 70.9% versus 85.2% and 79.4% versus 90.1% for the lymph nodes of < 2 cm and 2-3 cm in diameter, with a significant difference between the two methods (P < 0.01). However, it was 94.7% versus 97.9% for the lymph nodes of > 3 cm in diameter, not significantly different between the two methods (P > 0.05). Both methods had similar sensitivity in detecting the lymph nodes in the neck, supraclavicular and infraclavicular fossae, mediastinum and axillary fossa. However, the positive rate of whole body MRI was 51.2%, 43.8% and 52.2%, significantly less sensitive than 83.7%, 71.9% and 87.0%, respectively, by DWI in detecting the lymph nodes in the retroperitoneal space, pelvic cavity and inguinal groove (all P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Both whole body MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI have a relative high sensitivity in detecting intranodal lesions for patients with lymphoma, showing a certain value in clinical application.
Li
Zhen
Z
Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Hu
Dao-Yu
DY
Xia
Li-Ming
LM
Feng
Ding-Yi
DY
Peng
Li
L
Wang
Cheng-Yuan
CY
Chu
Qian
Q
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult