Morphological imaging and CT histogram analysis to differentiate pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor grade 3 from neuroendocrine carcinoma

PurposeTo compare morphological imaging features and CT texture histogram parameters between grade 3 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (G3-NET) and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC).Materials and methodsPatients with pathologically proven G3-NET and NEC, according to the 2017 World Health Organization classification who had CT and MRI examinations between 2006-2017 were retrospectively included. CT and MRI examinations were reviewed by two radiologists in consensus and analyzed with respect to tumor size, enhancement patterns, hemorrhagic content, liver metastases and lymphadenopathies. Texture histogram analysis of tumors was performed on arterial and portal phase CT images. images. Morphological imaging features and CT texture histogram parameters of G3-NETs and NECs were compared.ResultsThirty-seven patients (21 men, 16 women; mean age, 56 ± 13 [SD] years [range: 28-82 years]) with 37 tumors (mean diameter, 60 ± 46 [SD] mm) were included (CT available for all, MRI for 16/37, 43%). Twenty-three patients (23/37; 62%) had NEC and 14 patients (14/37; 38%) had G3-NET. NECs were larger than G3-NETs (mean, 70 ± 51 [SD] mm [range: 18 - 196 mm] vs. 42 ± 24 [SD] mm [range: 8 - 94 mm], respectively; P = 0.039), with more tumor necrosis (75% vs. 33%, respectively; P = 0.030) and lower attenuation on precontrast (30 ± 4 [SD] HU [range: 25-39 HU] vs. 37 ± 6 [SD] [range: 25-45 HU], respectively; P = 0.002) and on portal venous phase CT images (75 ± 18 [SD] HU [range: 43 - 108 HU] vs. 92 ± 19 [SD] HU [range: 46 - 117 HU], respectively; P = 0.014). Hemorrhagic content on MRI was only observed in NEC (P = 0.007). The mean ADC value was lower in NEC ([1.1 ± 0.1 (SD)] × 10⁻³ mm²/s [range: (0.91 - 1.3) × 10⁻³ mm²/s] vs. [1.4 ± 0.2 (SD)] × 10⁻³ mm²/s [range: (1.1 - 1.6) × 10⁻³ mm²/s]; P = 0.005). CT histogram analysis showed that NEC were more heterogeneous on portal venous phase images (Entropy-0: 4.7 ± 0.2 [SD] [range: 4.2-5.1] vs. 4.5 ± 0.4 [SD] [range: 3.7-4.9]; P = 0.023).ConclusionPancreatic NECs are larger, more frequently hypoattenuating and more heterogeneous with hemorrhagic content than G3-NET on CT and MRI.     

Differentiating autoimmune pancreatitis from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with CT radiomics features

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine whether computed tomography (CT)-based machine learning of radiomics features could help distinguish autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).Materials and MethodsEighty-nine patients with AIP (65 men, 24 women; mean age, 59.7 ± 13.9 [SD] years; range: 21–83 years) and 93 patients with PDAC (68 men, 25 women; mean age, 60.1 ± 12.3 [SD] years; range: 36–86 years) were retrospectively included. All patients had dedicated dual-phase pancreatic protocol CT between 2004 and 2018. Thin-slice images (0.75/0.5 mm thickness/increment) were compared with thick-slices images (3 or 5 mm thickness/increment). Pancreatic regions involved by PDAC or AIP (areas of enlargement, altered enhancement, effacement of pancreatic duct) as well as uninvolved parenchyma were segmented as three-dimensional volumes. Four hundred and thirty-one radiomics features were extracted and a random forest was used to distinguish AIP from PDAC. CT data of 60 AIP and 60 PDAC patients were used for training and those of 29 AIP and 33 PDAC independent patients were used for testing.ResultsThe pancreas was diffusely involved in 37 (37/89; 41.6%) patients with AIP and not diffusely in 52 (52/89; 58.4%) patients. Using machine learning, 95.2% (59/62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 89.8–100%), 83.9% (52:67; 95% CI: 74.7–93.0%) and 77.4% (48/62; 95% CI: 67.0–87.8%) of the 62 test patients were correctly classified as either having PDAC or AIP with thin-slice venous phase, thin-slice arterial phase, and thick-slice venous phase CT, respectively. Three of the 29 patients with AIP (3/29; 10.3%) were incorrectly classified as having PDAC but all 33 patients with PDAC (33/33; 100%) were correctly classified with thin-slice venous phase with 89.7% sensitivity (26/29; 95% CI: 78.6–100%) and 100% specificity (33/33; 95% CI: 93–100%) for the diagnosis of AIP, 95.2% accuracy (59/62; 95% CI: 89.8–100%) and area under the curve of 0.975 (95% CI: 0.936–1.0).ConclusionsRadiomic features help differentiate AIP from PDAC with an overall accuracy of 95.2%.     

磁共振扩散加权成像对人脑正常ADCav值的测量及定量分析

目的:对不同年龄组正常人脑进行水分子扩散加权成像,探讨年龄因素对正常人脑白质及灰质核团ADCav值的影响,为进一步研究放射性脑损伤提供不同年龄段ADCav正常值范围。方法:研究样本60例,分为<60岁和≥60岁两个年龄组,进行脑水分子扩散加权成像,并分别测量额叶和枕叶白质ADC值作为皮质下白质的代表,测量丘脑ADC值作为灰质团块的代表。结果:年龄<60岁组脑白质的ADCav值为(0.70±0.07)×10-3mm2/s,丘脑的ADCav值为(0.83±0.08)×10-3mm2/s;年龄≥60岁组脑白质的ADCav值为(0.73±0.10)×10-3mm2/s,丘脑的ADCav值为(0.84±0.06)×10-3mm2/s。两年龄组脑白质间差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05),丘脑间无统计学意义,白质和丘脑间有显著性差异(P<0.001)。结论:①伴随年龄的增长,正常脑白质ADC值呈现微弱的增长趋势,尤其是60岁以上老年人ADC值的增长趋势更为明显;②定量的ADC值分析对疾病的早期诊断及检测病变的发生、发展都有重要的意义;③临床研究中在对照样本的选取上应注意年龄因素的影响,本研究所得数据可作为进一步研究的正常参考值。     

肝VX-2 瘤模型MR扩散成像的实验研究

目的探讨肝VX-2瘤模型MR扩散成像特征.方法新西兰大白兔35只,采用块种植的方法,一期预实验皮下种植14只,肝内种植6只;二期肝内种植12只,另3只做正常对照.对包括二期肝内种植在内的15个肿瘤于种植前后行定期扩散加权成像(DWI) 与MR检查.以表观扩散系数(ADC)值等为指标进行统计分析.结果 (1)一期预实验,皮下种植成功率29%(4/14),肝内种植成功率33%(2/6);二期肝内种植成功率83%(10/12).(2)VX-2瘤在DWI上呈高信号,边缘清楚.正常组与VX-2瘤实验组b值为100和300 s/mm2时ADC值分别为(2.57±0.26)mm2/s、(1.73±0.31)mm2/s、(1.87±0.25)mm2/s与(1.57±0.23)mm2/s(F=43.26,P<0.001).随b值增大,病灶信号降低;ADC图上病灶呈低信号;不同b值之间病灶ADC值差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);b=100 s/mm2病灶与正常肝脏之间ADC值差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).(3)VX-2瘤发展迅速,易发生肺、肝、纵隔等处转移.结论 DWI在反映肝VX-2瘤内部水分子运动、发现与追踪病灶进展等方面有重要价值.     

肾上腺肿瘤MR扩散加权成像表现与细胞密度相关性的初步研究

目的探讨肾上腺肿瘤MR扩散加权成像（DWI）表现，分析良、恶性肿瘤表观扩散系数（ADC）值之间的差异及ADC值与肿瘤细胞密度的相关性。资料与方法采用屏气单次激发自旋回波-回波平面成像．扩散加权成像（SE-EPI-DWI）技术，分别选取3个不同b值检查4｜D例47个肾上腺肿瘤，其中恶性肿瘤18个，良性肿瘤29个；观察DWI表现，比较ADC值差异，并进行受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）分析，以选取肾上腺肿瘤DWI最佳成像b值和ADC值诊断阈值；对其中27个手术切除的肿瘤，在光镜下计数肿瘤细胞密度，并分析其与ADC值相关性。结果b值的大小影响DWI上肿瘤显示及其信号强度；肾上腺良、恶性肿瘤均可表现为均匀的高信号或不均匀高信号，并与肿瘤的类型及囊变、坏死程度有关，其间ADC值差异有统计学意义。经ROC曲线分析，肾上腺肿瘤DWI最佳成像b值为800s／mm^2，以ADC≥1．21×10^-3mm^2／s为阚值，诊断肾上腺良性肿瘤的敏感性为79％、特异性为72％。肾上腺肿瘤ADC值与其细胞密度负相关，以b值取800s／mm^2时相关性最强（r=-0．723，P〈0．01）。结论DWI对肾上腺肿瘤性质鉴别具有价值，是对常规MR检查的有益补充；测量肿瘤ADC值有可能为在体鉴别肾上腺肿瘤性质和病理分级提供新方法。     

Comparing diffusion-weighted and T2-weighted MR imaging for the quantification of infarct size in a neonatal rat hypoxic–ischemic model at 24 h post-injury

PURPOSE: In a neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury, using T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), we aim to determine the best MRI method of lesion quantification that reflects infarct size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty 7-day-old rats underwent MRI 24h after HI brain injury was induced. Lesion size relative to whole brain was measured using T2WI and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps, applying thresholds of 60%, 70% and 80% contralateral control hemisphere mean ADC, and at day 10 post-HI on pathology with TTC staining. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to study the relationships between lesion size at MRI and pathology. RESULTS: Lesion size measurement using all MRI methods significantly correlated with infarct size at pathology; using T2WI, r=0.808 (p<0.001), using 80% ADC, 70% ADC and 60% ADC thresholds, r=0.888 (p<0.001), 0.761, (p<0.001) and 0.569 (p=0.014), respectively. Eighty percent ADC threshold was found to be the only significant independent predictor of final infarct volume (adjusted R(2)=0.775). CONCLUSION: At 24h post-HI, lesion size on DWI, using 80% ADC threshold is the best predictor of final infarct volume. Although T2WI performed less well, it has the advantage of superior spatial resolution and is technically less demanding. These are important considerations for experiments which utilize MRI as a surrogate method for lesion quantification in the neonatal rat HI model.     

氟马西尼造成的脑弥散成像改变对癫痫灶的定位研究

目的探讨癫痫患者应用氟马西尼之后,用磁共振弥散成像(diffusion-weighted magnetic imaging,DWI)检测脑组织发生的改变,从而确定癫痫灶的位置。方法选择准备手术的癫痫患者20例,其中检查前2个月内服用过苯二氮卓类药物(benzodiazepine,BZD)有9人,另取17位未发做过癫痫的健康者作为对照。在患者清醒和完全的发作间期进行磁共振弥散成像基线扫描,然后静脉推注氟马西尼(flumazenil,FMZ),注射10min后,再次进行DWI检查。所有的病人测量下列双侧结构的表观弥散系数(apparent diffusion coefficient,ADC):海马、海马旁回、丘脑、中央白质、与癫痫灶相连的皮质。健康对照者进行了DWI检查,测量了上述结构。我们还对20位患者进行了注射FMZ前后的视频脑电图比较。结果与健康对照者对比,颞叶癫痫患者发病侧海马的发作间期ADC基线明显升高(P<0.05)。在注射氟马西尼后,不同感兴趣区的平均ADC变化如下:近期服用过BZD的患者癫痫发作侧的海马ADC下降(P<0.05);癫痫发作侧的海马旁回ADC下降(P<0.05),而近期没有服用过BZD的患者,未发现上述变化。在视频脑电监测中,服用BZD的患者也更易用FMZ诱发出癫痫波。在颞叶以外癫痫我们没有观察到统一的变化模式。结论近期服用过BZD药物的颞叶癫痫患者中,注射氟马西尼引起的ADC改变和癫痫灶的位置密切相关。核磁共振弥散成像清楚地表明了颢叶癫痫患者潜在癫痫灶的位置,是一个有效检测方法。     

Demonstration of cerebral perfusion abnormalities in moyamoya disease using susceptibility perfusion- and diffusion-weighted MRI

We describe the use of diffusion-weighted imaging and perfusion MRI using a contrast-medium bolus in the preoperative investigation for young man presenting with a cerebral ischaemic episode as a manifestation of moyamoya disease. Received: 9 October 1997 Accepted: 1 April 1998     

Periictal diffusion-weighted imaging in a case of lesional epilepsy

PURPOSE: Diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) has been used for the early diagnosis of acute ischemic lesions in humans and in animal models of focal status epilepticus. We hypothesized that DWI may be a sensitive, noninvasive tool for the localization of the epileptogenic area during the periictal period. METHODS: A periictal DWI study was performed on a 35-year-old patient during focal status epilepticus with repetitive prolonged focal motor seizures originating from a lesion in the right frontal lobe. DWI results were analyzed visually and by calculating apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. RESULTS: On DWI, a single area of signal increase (decrease in ADC) was found in the region of focal electrocorticographic seizures that was mapped intraoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Ictal/postictal DWI may be a useful technique for seizure localization in patients with lesional epilepsy.     

Effect of a neuronal sodium channel blocker on magnetic resonance derived indices of brain water content during global cerebral ischemia

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) with calculation of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water is a widely used noninvasive method to measure movement of water from the extracellular to the intracellular compartment during cerebral ischemia. Lamotrigine, a neuronal Na(+) channel blocker, has been shown to attenuate the increase in extracellular concentrations of excitatory amino acids (EAA) during ischemia and to improve neurological and histological outcome. Because of its proven ability to reduce EAA levels during ischemia, lamotrigine should also minimize excitotoxic-induced increases in intracellular water content and therefore attenuate changes in the ADC. In this study, we sought to determine the effect of lamotrigine on intra- and extracellular water shifts during transient global cerebral ischemia. Fifteen New Zealand white rabbits were anesthetized and randomized to one of three groups: a control group, a lamotrigine-treated group, or a sham group. After being positioned in the bore of the magnet, a 12-min 50-s period of global cerebral ischemia was induced by inflating a neck tourniquet. During ischemia and early reperfusion there was a similar and significant decrease of the ADC in both the lamotrigine and control group. The ADC in the sham ischemia group remained at baseline throughout the experiment. Lamotrigine-mediated blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels did not prevent the intracellular movement of water during 12 min 50 s of global ischemia, as measured by the ADC, suggesting that the ADC decline may not be mediated by voltage-gated sodium influx and glutamate release.