Short-term follow-up MRI after unplanned resection of malignant soft-tissue tumours; quantitative measurements on dynamic contrast enhanced and diffusion-weighted MR images.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the diagnostic availability of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) and diffusion-weighted (DW) MR images for evaluating residual tumours at short-term follow-up after unplanned excision of malignant soft-tissue tumours.

METHODS

From January 2013 to September 2014, 38 patients underwent first follow-up MRI, including DCE and DW imaging (DWI), within 3 months of unplanned malignant soft-tissue tumour excision. The presence or absence of definite nodule formation, focal fluid/haematoma collection, oedema and fascial thickening around or at tumour beds were evaluated using conventional MR images. The volume transfer constant between blood plasma and extracellular/extravascular space (EES) (Ktrans), rate constant between EES and blood plasma (Kep), volume of EES space per unit volume of tissue and initial area under the concentration curve (iAUC) values with time-concentration curve (TCC) plots were obtained on DCE images, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured on ADC maps. All data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 21 patients who underwent re-excision, 12 patients had a residual tumor and 9 did not. All conventional MRI variables, except definite nodule formation, were insignificantly related to the presence of residual tumour. However, ADC values were found to be significantly associated with the presence of residual tumour, as were the DCE MRI variables, Ktrans, Kep and iAUC. In particular, TCC pattern and Kep were most significantly associated with residual tumour.

CONCLUSION

Additional DCE images may be useful for determining the presence of residual tumours in tumour beds during short-term follow-up after inadequate malignant soft-tissue tumour excision.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

The addition of DCE MRI and quantitative analysis of the images obtained might be useful for determining the presence of residual tumour in a tumour bed during short-term follow-up after inadequate excision of a malignant soft-tissue tumour, although DWI was also found to be helpful.