title: Amide proton transfer-weighted imaging of the head and neck at 3 T: a feasibility study on healthy human subjects and patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility and repeatability of amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw) MRI for the head and neck on clinical MRI scanners. Six healthy volunteers and four patients with head and neck tumors underwent APTw MRI scanning at 3 T. The APTw signal was quantified by the asymmetric magnetization transfer ratio (MTRasym) at 3.5 ppm. Z spectra of normal tissues in the head and neck (masseter muscle, parotid glands, submandibular glands and thyroid glands) were analyzed in healthy volunteers. Inter-scan repeatability of APTw MRI was evaluated in six healthy volunteers. Z spectra of patients with head and neck tumors were produced and APTw signals in these tumors were analyzed. APTw MRI scanning was successful for all 10 subjects. The parotid glands showed the highest APTw signal (~7.6% average), whereas the APTw signals in other tissues were relatively moderate. The repeatability of APTw signals from the masseter muscle, parotid gland, submandibular gland and thyroid gland of healthy volunteers was established. Four head and neck tumors showed positive mean APTw ranging from 1.2% to 3.2%, distinguishable from surrounding normal tissues. APTw MRI was feasible for use in the head and neck regions at 3 T. The preliminary results on patients with head and neck tumors indicated the potential of APTw MRI for clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics and Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Happy Valley, Hong Kong, China; Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China; CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Shuzhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ann D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Jinyuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Kunwar S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: Qinwei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: David Ka Wei
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Greta Seng Peng
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: Yi-Xiang
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D018317:Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D011522:Protons; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011522:Protons
keywords: amide proton transfer (APT); asymmetric magnetization transfer ratio; chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST); head and neck tumor; parotid gland