Anterior mediastinal solid tumours in adults: characterisation using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, diffusion-weighted MRI, and FDG-PET/CT.
OBJECTIVE
To find significant parameters to characterise anterior mediastinal solid tumours in adults using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI), and combined 2-[(18)F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT).


METHODS
Forty-eight histologically confirmed anterior mediastinal solid tumours in 48 patients (24 men, 24 women; age range 21-83 years, mean 50.7 years) were examined. The parameters analysed were maximal diameter, presence of capsule/septa on T2-weighted images, time-signal intensity curves (TICs), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax). Also examined was whether any differences between histological types could be seen in these parameters. In a validation study, 42 anterior mediastinal solid tumours in 42 patients were examined consecutively.


RESULTS
The washout pattern on TIC was seen only in thymic epithelial tumours (20/32). SUVmax of lymphoma (mean, 17.9), malignant germ cell tumours (14.2), and thymic carcinomas (15.6) were significantly higher than that of thymomas (6.1). The mean maximal diameter of thymic epithelial tumours was significantly smaller than that of lymphomas (p<0.01) and malignant germ cell tumours (p<0.05). The validation study also yielded high accuracy (38/42, 91%) in differentiation among the anterior mediastinal solid tumours.


CONCLUSIONS
The SUVmax, TIC pattern on DCE-MRI, and maximal diameter might be useful to differentiate anterior mediastinal solid tumours in adults.
Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. Electronic address: h-yabu@hs.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
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Yabuuchi
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Matsuo
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Abe
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Baba
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Sunami
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Kamitani
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Yonezawa
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Yamasaki
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Kawanami
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Nagao
Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Okamoto
Department of Surgery and Oncology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Nakamura
Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Yamamoto
Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Sasaki
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Honda
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000473:pathology; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013945:Thymoma / Q000473:pathology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18