title: Esophageal carcinoma: Evaluation with q-space diffusion-weighted MR imaging ex vivo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the usefulness of q-space MR imaging as means of evaluating the depth of mural invasion, the histologic grades, and lymph node metastasis in esophageal carcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty esophageal specimens each containing a carcinoma were studied with a 7.0 Tesla MR imaging system. q-Space MR images were obtained with a 50-60 mm × 25-30 mm field of view, 256 × 128 matrix, 2 mm section thickness, 10 b values ranging from 0 to 7163 s/mm(2) , and a motion-probing gradient in the y-direction, and the MR images were compared with the histopathologic findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean displacement maps, probability for zero displacement maps, and kurtosis maps in all 20 carcinomas (100%) made it possible to identify the depth of tumor invasion of the esophageal wall. These q-space MR imaging parameters were significantly correlated with the histologic grades of the esophageal carcinomas (P < 0.01), and also significantly correlated with their nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios (P < 0.01 or P < 0.001) and tumor cellularity (cell density) (P < 0.01 or P < 0.001). The q-space MR imaging parameters were also capable of differentiating between the metastatic lymph nodes and nonmetastatic lymph nodes (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  q-Space MR imaging ex vivo provides excellent diagnostic accuracy for evaluating mural invasion by esophageal carcinomas, the histologic grades of esophageal carcinomas, and lymph node metastasis by esophageal carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Oncology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.|Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Keigo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hikishima
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Perinatal and Maternal Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyasaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Esophagogastric Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokairin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Eisaku
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Department of Esophagogastric Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness
keywords: MR imaging; diffusion-weighted imaging; esophageal carcinoma; esophagus; q-space imaging