Maruta T, Narabayashi I, Suematsu T, Hirata Y, Ueda E, Ogawa K, Mieda C, Okada K, Ikeda Y, Hirota S
Department of Radiology, Hyogo Medical Center for Adults.
Nihon Igaku Hoshasen Gakkai Zasshi. 1991 May 25;51(5):504-15.
Gd-DTPA (Gd) enhanced Magnetic Resonance (MR) early images and delayed images of 28 patients with pulmonary or mediastinal tumors were analyzed and compared with the computed tomography scans and the plain MR images. Numbers of relative signal intensity of the tumors, secondary lesions (adjacent pneumonia or collapse) and pleural effusions were calculated and graphed on time intensity curves. Gd-enhanced MR early images were more useful than other methods in delineating viable areas from necrotic areas. However, Gd-enhanced MR delayed images better delineated margins of necrotic areas than Gd-enhanced MR early images did in some cases. In distinguishing tumors from secondary lesions, Gd-enhanced MR early images were the most useful, too. We considered Gd gradually penetrated into pleural effusions after intravenous administration, just in the same way into necrotic areas. Therefore pleural effusions showed very high intensity on Gd-enhanced MR delayed images. Time intensity curves of the tumors and pleural effusions showed characteristic patterns, but those of secondary lesions showed different patterns among the individual cases. We presumed this was due to the variances of the water and fibrous components among them.
