Clinical usefulness of orbital and facial Time-Resolved Imaging of Contrast KineticS (TRICKS) magnetic resonance angiography.

PURPOSE

The clinical usefulness of orbital and facial Time-Resolved Imaging of Contrast KineticS (TRICKS) MRI was assessed quantitatively and qualitatively.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of the years 2001 to 2011 was conducted at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Patients were selected based on tumor location (extracranial head and neck) and evaluation with TRICKS imaging at any stage of the clinical course. The TRICKS protocol presented in this article allows measurement of specific tumor characteristics including lesion morphology, vascular anatomy, flow dynamics within the lesion, rapidity and sequential nature of contrast enhancement, and lesion distensibility. Cases involving changes in diagnoses and/or management as a result of TRICKS interpretation are presented in detail.

RESULTS

The imaging records of 49 patients were reviewed. Most lesions were located in or around the orbit (32 lesions, 65%). Benign vascular tumors comprised the largest subcategory (32 lesions, 65%) in the cohort. Of the 20 cases with histopathological data, interpretation of MRI with TRICKS magnetic resonance angiography successfully predicted 17 (85%). Characteristic enhancement patterns for the most commonly encountered lesions are presented, in addition to a qualitative analysis of how TRICKS contributed to select cases. TRICKS helped clarify diagnosis and/or redirect management in 19 of the 49 cases in this series.

CONCLUSION

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the largest study to date of patients evaluated with TRICKS MRI/magnetic resonance angiography for orbital and facial tumors. MRI with TRICKS magnetic resonance angiography imaging protocol offers a minimally invasive, safe, and effective diagnostic instrument in selected patients with clinical diagnostic uncertainty and in those patients requiring high-resolution vascular mapping for management planning.