Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University (Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Lab of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
Eur Radiol. 2022 Jan;32(1):194-204. doi: 10.1007/s00330-021-08143-x. Epub 2021 Jul 2.
The amount and distribution of intratumoural collagen fibre vary among different thymic tumours, which can be clearly detected with T2- and diffusion-weighted MR images. To explore the incidences of collagen fibre patterns (CFPs) among thymomas, thymic carcinomas and lymphomas on imaging, and to evaluate the efficacy and reproducibility of CFPs in differential diagnosis of thymic tumours.
Three hundred and ninety-eight patients with pathologically diagnosed thymoma, thymic carcinoma and lymphoma who underwent T2- and diffusion-weighted MR imaging were retrospectively enrolled. CFPs were classified into four categories: septum sign, patchy pattern, mixed pattern and no septum sign. The incidences of CFPs were compared among different thymic tumours, and the efficacy and reproducibility in differentiating the defined tumour types were analysed.
There were significant differences in CFPs among thymomas, thymic squamous cell carcinomas (TSCCs), other thymic carcinomas and neuroendocrine tumours (OTC&NTs) and thymic lymphomas. Septum signs were found in 209 (86%) thymomas, which differed between thymomas and any other thymic neoplasms (all p < 0.005). The patchy, mixed patterns and no septum sign were mainly seen in TSCCs (80.3%), OTC&NTs (78.9%) and thymic lymphomas (56.9%), respectively. The consistency of different CFP evaluation between two readers was either good or excellent. CFPs achieved high efficacy in identifying the thymic tumours.
The CFPs based on T2- and diffusion-weighted MR imaging were of great value in the differential diagnosis of thymic tumours.
• Significant differences are found in intratumoural collagen fibre patterns among thymomas, thymic squamous cell carcinomas, other thymic carcinomas and neuroendocrine tumours and thymic lymphomas. • The septum sign, patchy pattern, mixed pattern and no septum sign are mainly seen in thymomas (86%), thymic squamous cell carcinomas (80.3%), other thymic carcinomas and neuroendocrine tumours (79%) and thymic lymphomas (57%), respectively. • The collagen fibre patterns have high efficacy and reproducibility in differentiating thymomas, thymic squamous cell carcinomas and thymic lymphomas.
肿瘤内胶原纤维的数量和分布在不同胸腺瘤中有所不同，这可以通过 T2 加权和弥散加权磁共振成像清晰地检测到。本研究旨在探讨成像中胸腺瘤、胸腺癌和淋巴瘤胶原纤维模式（CFPs）的发生率，并评估 CFPs 在胸腺瘤鉴别诊断中的有效性和可重复性。
回顾性纳入了 398 例经病理诊断为胸腺瘤、胸腺癌和淋巴瘤的患者，这些患者均行 T2 加权和弥散加权磁共振成像检查。将 CFPs 分为 4 种类型：间隔征、斑片样、混合样和无间隔征。比较不同胸腺瘤中 CFPs 的发生率，并分析其在区分特定肿瘤类型中的有效性和可重复性。
胸腺瘤、胸腺癌（TSCCs）、其他胸腺癌和神经内分泌肿瘤（OTC&NTs）以及胸腺癌之间 CFPs 存在显著差异。209 例（86%）胸腺瘤存在间隔征，与其他任何胸内肿瘤均有显著差异（均 p < 0.005）。斑片样、混合样和无间隔征主要见于 TSCCs（80.3%）、OTC&NTs（78.9%）和胸腺癌（56.9%）。两位观察者之间不同 CFP 评估的一致性要么是好的，要么是极好的。CFPs 在鉴别胸腺瘤方面具有很高的效能。
基于 T2 加权和弥散加权磁共振成像的 CFPs 对胸腺瘤的鉴别诊断具有重要价值。
