ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: PET/MRI with 18F-FDG has demonstrated the advantages of simultaneous PET and MR imaging in head and neck cancer imaging, MRI allowing excellent soft-tissue contrast, while PET provides metabolic information. The aim of this study was to evaluate the added value of gadolinium contrast-enhanced sequences in the tumor delineation of head and neck cancers on 18F-FDG-PET/MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent simultaneous head and neck 18F-FDG-PET/MR imaging staging or restaging followed by surgery were retrospectively included. Local tumor invasion and lymph node extension were assessed in 45 head and neck anatomic regions using 18F-FDG-PET/MR imaging by 2 rater groups (each one including a radiologist and a nuclear medicine physician). Two reading sessions were performed, one without contrast-enhanced sequences (using only T1WI, T2WI, and PET images) and a second with additional T1WI postcontrast sequences. The results were compared with the detailed histopathologic analysis, used as reference standard. The κ concordance coefficient between the reading sessions and sensitivity and specificity for each region were calculated. RESULTS: Thirty patients were included. There was excellent agreement between the contrast-free and postgadolinium reading sessions in delineating precise tumor extension in the 45 anatomic regions studied (Cohen κ = 0.96, 95% CI = [0.94-0.97], P < .001). The diagnostic accuracy did not differ between contrast-free and postgadolinium reading sessions, being 0.97 for both groups and both reading sessions. For the 2 rater groups, there was good sensitivity for both contrast-free (0.83 and 0.85) and postgadolinium reading sessions (0.88 and 0.90, respectively). Moreover, there was excellent specificity (0.98) for both groups and reading sessions. CONCLUSIONS: Gadolinium chelate contrast administration showed no added value for accurate characterization of head and neck primary tumor extension and could possibly be avoided in the PET/MR imaging head and neck workflow.
Subject(s)
Head and Neck Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Positron-Emission Tomography/methods , Adult , Aged , Contrast Media , Female , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Gadolinium , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Radiopharmaceuticals , Retrospective Studies , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The differential diagnosis of acute cervical pain includes nonvascular and vascular causes such as carotid dissection, carotid occlusion, or vasculitis. However, some patients present with unclassified vascular and perivascular changes on imaging previously reported as carotidynia. The aim of our study was to improve the description of this as yet unclassified clinico-radiologic entity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2009 through April 2016, 47 patients from 10 centers presenting with acute neck pain or tenderness and at least 1 cervical image showing unclassified carotid abnormalities were included. We conducted a systematic, retrospective study of their medical charts and diagnostic and follow-up imaging. Two neuroradiologists independently analyzed the blinded image datasets. RESULTS: The median patient age was 48 years. All patients presented with acute neck pain, and 8 presented with transient neurologic symptoms. Imaging showed an eccentric pericarotidian infiltration in all patients. An intimal soft plaque was noted in 16 patients, and a mild luminal narrowing was noted in 16 patients. Interreader reproducibility was excellent. All patients had complete pain resolution within a median of 13 days. At 3-month follow-up, imaging showed complete disappearance of vascular abnormalities in 8 patients, and a marked decrease in all others. CONCLUSIONS: Our study improved the description of an unclassified, clinico-radiologic entity, which could be described by the proposed acronym: TransIent Perivascular Inflammation of the Carotid artery (TIPIC) syndrome.
Subject(s)
Carotid Artery Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Vasculitis, Central Nervous System/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Carotid Artery Diseases/diagnosis , Cerebral Angiography , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Angiography , Male , Middle Aged , Neck Pain/diagnostic imaging , Neck Pain/etiology , Nervous System Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Nervous System Diseases/etiology , Observer Variation , Retrospective Studies , Syndrome , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Vasculitis, Central Nervous System/diagnosisABSTRACT
We describe the MRA and MR angiography (MRA) features of persistent trigeminal artery (PTA) found incidentally in eight patients, with special attention to its origin, site and course. The different patterns of posterior communicating arteries were also noted. The PTA were shown on sagittal, coronal and axial MRI and on MRA. In four cases, the PTA arose from the lateral aspect of the intracavernous internal carotid artery, ran caudally, passing round the bottom of the dorsum sellae to join the basilar artery. In the other four cases, it arose from the medial aspect, ran caudally through the sella turcica and pierced the dorsum sellae to join the basilar artery. The posterior communicating arteries were present unilaterally in five cases and bilaterally in one, and absent bilaterally in two. Identification of a PTA with a trans-sellar course is crucial if a trans-sphenoidal surgery is planned.
