Usefulness of thin-section single-shot turbo spin echo with half-Fourier acquisition in evaluation of local invasion of lung cancer

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of thin-section single-shot turbo spin echo with half-Fourier acquisition (SS-TSE-HF) alone for evaluation of local invasion of lung cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our Institutional Review Board approved this retrospective study. Thirty-six patients with lung cancer who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluation of local invasion followed by curative surgery from July 2008 to June 2012 were enrolled in this study. Two reviewers independently and blindly reviewed computed tomography (CT) and MRI (thin-section SS-TSE-HF and conventional MRI, which consisted of conventional axial SS-TSE-HF, dynamic MRI with respiratory and/or cardiac cine, and T1 -weighted high-resolution isotropic volume examination [THRIVE]) for the presence of local invasion. Diagnostic performances were evaluated using gross surgical findings and pathological results as a standard reference.

RESULTS: The overall diagnostic performance for detecting local invasion of lung cancer between the two reviewers were as follows: specificity and accuracy of thin-section SS-TSE-HF (89.0% and 87.5%) were significantly higher than those of CT (25.6% and 46.9%, P < 0.001 for both) or conventional MRI (61.0% and 69.5%, P < 0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively). Sensitivity was 84.8% for thin-section SS-TSE-HF with the same value for CT (P = 0.246) and conventional MRI (P = 0.209).

CONCLUSION: Thin-section SS-TSE-HF sequence alone without any contrast agent demonstrated a relatively high diagnostic performance in evaluation of local invasion of lung cancer.