Morphological features and clinical feasibility of thoracic duct: detection with nonenhanced magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 T.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the detection of the thoracic duct using nonenhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to determine the influence of some related disorders on the lymphatic duct.


METHODS
Highly fluid-sensitive sequence and fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging (FS-T2WI) were performed in a total of 139 cases. The axial and coronal images were used to locate the thoracic duct and the measurement and evaluation of its dimensions were performed using a 3D maximum intensity projection (MIP) reconstruction image. The differences in the dimensions among control, portal hypertension, and common bile duct obstruction groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance.


RESULTS
The cisterna chyli was shown in 91% of cases on FS-T2WI, while the thoracic duct appeared in 70% of the MIP images. The common configuration of the cisterna chyli was tubular or saccular in 73%. Eighty thoracic ducts had a slight turn declining to the left at the level of T8-10. There was a significant difference in the transverse diameter of the thoracic duct between the portal hypertension group and other groups (F = 5.638, P = 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Nonenhanced MRI is feasible for locating and depicting the morphological features of the thoracic duct. Portal hypertension may influence the dimension of the thoracic duct.
Yu
De-xin
DX
Department of Radiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, PR China.
Ma
Xiang-xing
XX
Zhang
Xiao-ming
XM
Wang
Qing
Q
Li
Chuan-fu
CF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013897:Thoracic Duct / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult