title: Diffusion-weighted MRI in the follow-up of chronic periaortitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) for the assessment of the intraindividual follow-up in patients with chronic periaortitis (CP) under medication.
  
  
  METHODS
  MRI data of 21 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed untreated disease were retrospectively examined before and after medical therapy, with a median follow-up of 16 weeks. DWI parameters [b800 signal, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values] of the CP and psoas muscle were analysed together with the extent and contrast enhancement. Pre- and post-treatment laboratory inflammation markers were acquired parallel to each MR examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant lower b800 signal intensities (p ≤ 0.0001) and higher ADC values (p ≤ 0.0001) were observed after medical treatment within the fibrous periaortic tissue. Extent and contrast enhancement of the CP showed also a statistically significant decrease (p ≤ 0.0001) in the follow-up examinations, while the control parameters within the psoas muscle showed no differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DWI seems to be a useful method for the evaluation of response to treatment without contrast agents. The technique may be helpful in the assessment of disease activity to guide further therapeutic strategies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DWI detects significant differences in the intraindividual follow-up of CP under medical therapy.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, HELIOS Klinikum Wuppertal, University Hospital Witten/Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kamper
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, HELIOS Klinikum Wuppertal, University Hospital Witten/Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haage
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Urology, HELIOS Klinikum Wuppertal, University Hospital Witten/Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, HELIOS Klinikum Wuppertal, University Hospital Witten/Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Piroth
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Cardiology, HELIOS Klinikum Wuppertal, University Hospital Witten/Herdecke, Arrenberger Straße, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abanador-Kamper
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Urology, HELIOS Klinikum Wuppertal, University Hospital Witten/Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, HELIOS Klinikum Wuppertal, University Hospital Witten/Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ekamp
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D001025:Aortitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013629:Tamoxifen; D011241:Prednisone