Primary bladder carcinoma: evaluation with MR imaging

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 23 patients (25 tumors) with proved bladder neoplasms. MR studies were retrospectively evaluated and compared with computed tomographic (CT) and pathologic findings. Bladder neoplasms, having a signal intensity intermediate between those of urine and perivesical fat, were best seen on T1-weighted and proton-density images. MR imaging was as accurate as technically well-performed CT studies in detecting extravesical tumor extension. MR could additionally be used to assess the integrity of the bladder wall. On T2-weighted images the normal bladder wall appeared as a thin, linear, low-intensity structure. The disruption of this low-intensity line was indicative of deep muscle invasion, whereas preservation of this low intensity line implied a more localized lesion. Although chemical shift artifacts might cause apparent disruption of the bladder wall, knowledge of this artifact coupled with additional imaging along different planes helps avoid misinterpretation of this artifact as deep muscle invasion.     

Visualisation of bladder cancer using (11)C-choline PET: first clinical experience

Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), the most widely used radiopharmaceutical in positron emission tomography (PET) for oncological purposes, is unsuitable for imaging of bladder cancer owing to high excretion into the urine. More specific PET radiopharmaceuticals which are not excreted into urine would be welcome. Carbon-11 labelled choline (CHOL) is a new radiopharmaceutical potentially useful for tumour imaging and is not excreted into the urine. We prospectively studied the visualisation of bladder cancer using CHOL PET. Eighteen patients with bladder cancer and five healthy volunteers were included. Bladder cancer was first diagnosed by transurethral resection or by biopsy of the tumour. Next, PET images were performed before surgical treatment by cystectomy. The histopathological findings after cystectomy were used as the gold standard. PET images were performed on either an ECAT 951/31 or an ECAT Exact HR+ system. Attenuation-corrected PET images were obtained after injection of 400 MBq CHOL. PET images were analysed by two independent physicians using visual analysis and calculation of the standardised uptake value (SUV). In the normal bladder wall, the uptake of CHOL was low, and the bladder margin was only outlined by minimal urinary radioactivity, if present. In ten patients the tumour was detected correctly by CHOL PET, with an SUV of 4.7+/-3.6 (mean+/-SD). One false positive CHOL PET scan was seen in a patient with an indwelling catheter for 2 weeks prior to the PET scan. In two patients, lymph node metastases were detected by CHOL PET. A micrometastasis <5 mm was not visualised with CHOL PET. In seven patients, no residual tumour was found after surgery. In six of seven patients CHOL PET imaging was negative. In situ carcinoma, dysplasia and a non-invasive urothelial tumour (pTa) remained undetected in three of these six patients. Minimal to no urinary tract radioactivity was seen in 22/23 subjects. Non-specific uptake of CHOL was observed in the small bowel, rectum and prostate gland. CHOL uptake in bladder cancer was avid, visualising the tumour in the virtual absence of urinary radioactivity. No uptake of CHOL was seen in pre-malignant lesions or in small non-invasive tumours. Our results warrant further research into the value of CHOL PET in the clinical management of patients with bladder cancer.     

Combined T2‐weighted and diffusion‐weighted MRI for diagnosis of urinary bladder invasion in patients with prostate carcinoma

Purpose

To retrospectively determine the diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) characteristics and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of prostate carcinoma (PCa) with urinary bladder invasion, and to compare the accuracy of T2‐weighted MRI alone and T2 combined with DWI for predicting urinary bladder invasion.

Materials and Methods

Sixty‐eight patients with proven PCa were diagnosed with urinary bladder invasion after conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DWI (b value = 750 sec/mm²) examinations. All the 68 cases underwent cystoscopy examination. DWI appearances of all urinary bladder invasion and a normal urinary bladder wall were analyzed, and their ADC values were measured. T2 images alone and then T2 images combined with DWI were scored for the likelihood of urinary bladder invasion on the basis of radiologists' written reports. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess accuracy. Statistical significance was inferred at P < 0.05.

Results

After cystoscopy examination, 45 (66%) of 68 cases were pathologically proven urinary bladder invasion. The mean ADCs for urinary bladder invasion and normal urinary bladder wall were (0.963 ± 0.155) × 10^?3mm²/sec and (1.517 ± 0.103) × 10^?3mm²/sec, respectively. The ADC values of urinary bladder invasion were significantly lower than those of normal urinary bladder wall (P = 0.000). The AUC for T2‐weighted imaging plus DW imaging (0.861) was significantly larger than that for T2‐weighted imaging alone (0.734) or for DW imaging alone (0.703) (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Urinary bladder invasion had lower ADC values compared with normal urinary bladder wall. T2 images plus DWI is significantly better than T2‐weighted imaging alone in the detection of urinary bladder invasion in patients with PCa. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

     

Anwendung der optischen Kohärenztomographie (OCT) bei der Darstellung von Urothelerkrankungen der Harnblase

PURPOSE: The technique of optical coherence tomography (OCT) has significantly improved over the last few years. This new diagnostic procedure allows imaging of tissue structure of the bladder wall during cystoscopy with high resolution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The penetration depth of OCT is limited to 2.5 mm. The resolution is approximately 15 microm. Fifty patients with different clinical conditions of the bladder were examined. Altogether 488 OCT images were generated. RESULTS: OCT of normal bladder mucosa clearly shows a differentiation between urothelium, lamina propria, and smooth muscle. Cystitis and metaplasia are characterized by blurring of the laminated structure and thickening of the epithelial layer. In malignant areas there is complete loss of the regular layered tissue structure. CONCLUSION: OCT improves the diagnosis of flat lesions of the urothelium. It has the potential for facilitating intraoperative staging of malignant areas in the bladder.     

Transanorectal ultrasonography in anal carcinoma. A prospective study of 21 patients

Twenty-one consecutive patients with anal carcinoma of squamous cell type were evaluated by transanorectal ultrasonography (Brüel & Kjaeer) prior to radiation therapy. The normal anal anatomy, with three distinct layers, was easily demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. The middle, low echogenic layer corresponded above the dentate line to the muscularis propria and more distally to the internal and external sphincters. A hypoechoic area, representing tumour, was detected in all patients. Using the ultrasound findings, it appeared possible to classify the depth of tumour invasion into four levels with respect to whether or not invasion had reached or penetrated beyond the muscular wall or into adjacent organs. Eighteen of 21 tumours had penetrated the muscular wall. In 3 cases low echogenic, rounded structures, interpreted as enlarged lymph nodes, were identified. The ultrasonographic findings were compared with digital staging. Tumour invasion had penetrated the muscular wall in 2 out of 3 stage T1 patients and in 10 out of 11 stage T2 patients. Prospective studies will show whether estimates of tumour size and depth of invasion in relation to various normal structures, as judged by ultrasonography, are of value prognostically and for the choice of therapy.     

Catheter-based intraluminal optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the ureter: ex-vivo correlation with histology in porcine specimens

Intraluminal optical coherence tomography (OCT) applies coherent light to provide cross-sectional images with a spatial resolution of 10–25 μm. We compared OCT and matching whole-mount histology microscopy sections of porcine upper ureters ex vivo for visualization and delineation of different tissue layers of the ureteral wall. Porcine ureters (six specimens, 24 quadrants) were flushed with normal saline solution prior to insertion of the OCT catheter (diameter, 0.014 inch, OCT wavelength, 1,300±20 nm). Cross-sectional OCT images were obtained in marked locations before specimens were fixed in 4% formalin, cut at marked locations, whole-mounted, and stained with hematoxilin and eosin. Visualization and delineation of different tissue layers of the ureteral wall by OCT was compared with matching histology by two independent observers (O1,O2). OCT distinguished tissue layers of the ureteral wall in all quadrants. In OCT images, O1/O2 delineated urothelium and lamina propria in 23/24 quadrants, lamina propria and muscle layer in 19/16 quadrants, inner and outer muscle layer in 13/0 quadrants, and urothelial cell layers in 13/2 quadrants, respectively. Intraluminal OCT provides histology-like images of the ureter in porcine specimens ex vivo and reliably distinguishes between urothelium and deeper tissue layers of the ureteral wall.     

Intravenous urography in urinary tract surveillance in carcinoma of the bladder.

AIMS: The need for intravenous urography (IVU) in upper tract surveillance for primary transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder is contentious. We reviewed our intensive screening policy in the follow-up of these patients to ascertain if such a policy is required and if specific groups could be identified to rationalise this protocol. METHODS: Review of the clinical and radiological data on 174 patients with a diagnosis of primary TCC of the bladder attending a teaching hospital urology department. RESULTS: Eight upper tract 'lesions' were identified: six TCC and two false-positive examinations using IVU. No link was demonstrable between upper tract recurrence and tumour stage, grade or multiplicity at diagnosis. All had recurrent bladder tumour but four of the six upper tract tumours occurred at 72 months or later. Twenty-nine patients over the study period developed either a dilated pelvi-calyceal system or a non-functioning kidney detected on IVU. CONCLUSIONS: Upper tract TCC can present late and patients with early bladder recurrence and those who do not show a reduction in bladder tumour number at follow-up cystoscopy are most at risk. IVU can probably be safely abandoned in those without local recurrence at 24 months. IVU is sensitive but not specific for upper tract tumour but also yields other relevant clinical information concerning the renal tract. Screening for upper tract metachronous disease should therefore be confined to those with recurrent transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.     

A pitfall of FDG-PET image interpretation: accumulation of FDG in the dependent area of the urinary bladder after bladder irrigation--the usefulness of the prone position

In F-18 FDG PET studies, retrograde irrigation of the urinary bladder is usually used to reduce the interference with physiological urinary accumulation of F-18 FDG in patients with possible pelvic lesions. A 34-year-old female who had recently been diagnosed with cervical cancer had an F-18 FDG-PET scan performed for whole-body evaluation. The bladder was irrigated with physiological saline and filled with 200 mL of irrigation fluid through a 3-way balloon catheter inserted before the scan. Two areas with high FDG accumulation were noted in the posterior pelvis. Tumor invasion or metastasis could not be ruled out. Additional focal imaging of the pelvis was performed with the patient in the prone position. The lesion on the left side of the patient was still noted, whereas the lesion on the right had disappeared, which proved that it was a false-positive lesion. Great caution is required when assessing imaging results to avoid misdiagnosis in patients after bladder irrigation.     

Prognostic significance of MRI-detected bladder muscle and/or serosal invasion in patients with cervical cancer treated with radiotherapy

In cervical cancer, the prognostic significance of bladder wall invasion on MRI without pathological evidence of mucosal invasion is not known. From 454 consecutive patients with cervical cancer who were treated with radiation, we reviewed images and analysed the outcome of 92 patients with the Federation of International Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIIB–IVA. We analysed the patients in three groups, normal, wall (muscle and/or serosal) invasion and mucosal invasion, according to the findings on the MRI. Kaplan–Meier life table analysis and the log-rank test were used to assess the survival rates and differences according to prognostic factors. MRI detected abnormalities in the bladder wall in 42 patients (45.6%): wall invasion in 24 and mucosal invasion in 18. 5 of 18 patients, suspected on MRI to have mucosal invasion, showed no pathological evidence of mucosal invasion. Median follow-up period was 34 months. 3-year cause-specific survival (CSS) in the normal group compared with the wall invasion group was 76.2% vs 71.4% (p = 0.48). 3-year CSS for the wall invasion group compared with the mucosal invasion group was 71.4% vs 54.3% (p = 0.04). Mucosal invasion on MRI (p = 0.03) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.01) was significant for CSS. The prognosis for patients with cervical cancer with evidence of muscle and/or serosal invasion of the bladder on MRI may not differ from that for patients without abnormality on MRI. In patients with the MRI finding of bladder mucosal invasion, further studies should be conducted regarding the role of cystoscopy to determine the need for pathological confirmation.According to the 2006 report by the Federation of International Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) [1], the 5-year survival of patients with stage IVA cervical cancer is about half that of patients with stage IIIB cervical cancer (22.0% vs 41.5%). Reviewing the hazard ratios for patients with stages IIB, IIIB and IVA (2.7, 5.3 and 11.7, respectively), we noted a sharp increase in hazard ratio for stage IVA relative to stage IB. Because as the stage increases, the impact of lymph node involvement or tumour size on survival outcome decreases [1], mucosal involvement of the bladder and/or rectum may potentially have a strong influence on survival.During the past two decades, there have been changing trends not only in the incidence of uterine cervical cancer [2] but also in the process of staging work-up. As MRI has become more applicable in planning the treatment of cervical cancer [3, 4], previously unnoticed invasion of the posterior wall of the urinary bladder without cystoscopic evidence of mucosal invasion appears frequently in advanced disease. However, there have been no published reports regarding the frequency of these findings or the prognosis for these patients with abnormal bladder wall findings on MRI without cystoscopic evidence of mucosal invasion.Evidence suggests that MRI may predict the extent of disease more accurately than clinical staging [5]. With regard to bladder invasion, studies specifically tested the diagnostic accuracy of MRI against cystoscopic examination and/or surgical sampling as reference standards [6–10]. However, non-mucosal invasion cannot be diagnosed with cystoscopy, but can be confirmed only by exploration, which is not usually performed for locally advanced cervical cancer. For this reason, it is difficult to determine the diagnostic accuracy of MRI.Following radiotherapy for advanced-stage tumours, MRI performance can be assessed only with clinical outcome. Few studies have reported on the use of MRI in cervical carcinoma treated with radiotherapy, and most have focused on the relationship between outcome and tumour diameter, tumour volume or lymph node status. We investigated the prognostic significance of abnormal bladder wall findings on MRI, with particular attention to those patients without cystoscopic evidence of mucosal invasion.     

Measurement of vessel wall strain using cine phase contrast MRI

PURPOSE: To determine the feasibility of using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to non-invasively measure strain in the aortic wall. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cine phase contrast MRI was used to measure the velocity of the aortic wall and calculate changes in circumferential strain over the cardiac cycle. A deformable vessel phantom was used for initial testing and in vitro validation. Ultrasonic sonomicrometer crystals were attached to the vessel wall and used as a gold standard. RESULTS: In the in vitro validation, MRI-calculated wall displacements were within 0.02 mm of the sonomicrometer measurements when maximal displacement was 0.28 mm. The measured maximum strain in vitro was 0.02. The in vivo results were on the same order as prior results using ultrasound echo-tracking. CONCLUSION: Results of in vivo studies and measurement of cyclic strain in human thoracic and abdominal aortas demonstrate the feasibility of the technique.     

Bladder cancer: staging with CT and MR imaging

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT) were compared in 30 patients with histologically proved bladder cancer. MR imaging was accurate in depicting the presence or absence of extravesical spread in 22 patients (accuracy, 73%; sensitivity, 82%; specificity, 62%), and CT was accurate in 24 patients (accuracy, 80%; sensitivity, 94%; specificity, 62%). The MR examinations of two patients were of undiagnostic quality and therefore considered to be technical failures. Each technique resulted in five false-positive and one false-negative examination for the diagnosis of extravesical tumor spread. In 28 patients the integrity of the bladder wall was assessed with MR imaging. In 22 patients the bladder wall was disrupted, and 18 of these patients had deep muscle invasion. In six patients the bladder wall was intact, and none of these patients had evidence of deep muscle invasion at pathologic examination. In this study MR imaging was slightly inferior to CT in the delineation of invasive tumors beyond the bladder wall. However, if one excludes from analysis the two patients with undiagnostic studies, there is no significant difference in accuracy between the two techniques.     

Angioscopy of the inferior vena cava: preliminary observations in cases with involvement by neoplasm. Work in progress.

Angioscopy of the inferior vena cava (IVC) was performed in 10 patients. Tumor thrombus extending into the IVC was suspected in six patients, and direct invasion of the IVC wall was suspected in four, based on computed tomographic and venographic findings. In each case, a fiberscope was directed to the area of interest in the IVC via a transfemoral 5-F catheter. Blood displacement by means of a saline infusion enabled angioscopic observation of the IVC wall. The neoplasms were seen clearly in all patients but one. The color and texture of the tumor thrombi surface made it easy to distinguish from the healthy IVC wall. In the four patients believed to have direct invasion of the wall, there were no angioscopic differences between the suggestive areas and adjacent areas of normal IVC wall. In these four cases, the absence of direct invasion was confirmed at surgery. Thus, angioscopy helps make an accurate nonoperative or preoperative diagnosis of tumor thrombi possible and may aid in the exclusion of direct invasion.     

Endovascular optical coherence tomography ex vivo: venous wall anatomy and tissue alterations after endovenous therapy

Endovascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a new imaging modality providing histology-like information of the venous wall. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and laser therapy (ELT) are accepted alternatives to surgery. This study evaluated OCT for qualitative assessment of venous wall anatomy and tissue alterations after RFA and ELT in bovine venous specimens. One hundred and thirty-four venous segments were obtained from ten ex-vivo bovine hind limbs. OCT signal characteristics for different wall layers were assessed in 180/216 (83%) quadrants from 54 normal venous cross-sections. Kappa statistics (κ) were used to calculate intra- and inter-observer agreement. Qualitative changes after RFA (VNUS-Closure) and ELT (diode laser 980 nm, energy densities 15 Joules (J)/cm, 25 J/cm, 35 J/cm) were described in 80 venous cross-sections. Normal veins were characterized by a three-layered appearance. After RFA, loss of three-layered appearance and wall thickening at OCT corresponded with circular destruction of tissue structures at histology. Wall defects after ELT ranged from non-transmural punctiform damage to complete perforation, depending on the energy density applied. Intra- and inter-observer agreement for reading OCT images was very high (0.90 and 0.88, respectively). OCT allows for reproducible evaluation of normal venous wall and alterations after endovenous therapy. OCT could prove to be valuable for optimizing endovenous therapy in vivo. O.A. Meissner and C.-G. Schmedt contributed equally to this work     

Normal bladder wall morphology in Gd-DTPA-enhanced clinical MR imaging using an endorectal surface coil and histological assessment of submucosal linear enhancement using [14C]Gd-DOTA autoradiography in an animal model

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate normal bladder wall morphology in gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging using an endorectal surface coil and to perform histological assessment of submucosal linear enhancement with experimental [¹⁴C]-gadolinium-tetraazacyclododecane-tetraacetic acid (Gd-DOTA) autoradiography. Methods and material: MR imaging of the bladder was performed using an endorectal coil in 13 consecutive patients with bladder carcinoma and T1-, T2-, and Gd-DTPA-enhanced spin-echo images of the bladder wall were compared. After injection of [¹⁴C]Gd-DOTA into a hamster, autoradiograms of the bladder wall were obtained and compared with serial histological sections. Results: The normal bladder wall appeared as a homogeneous layer of intermediate intensity on T1-weighted images. After administration of Gd-DTPA, the bladder wall was visualized as three layers: an inner thin layer of low intensity, a middle layer of marked enhancement, and a thick outer layer of intermediate intensity. The autoradiograms demonstrated dense accumulation of [¹⁴C]Gd-DOTA in the submucosal layer. Thus, the inner, middle, and outer layers corresponded to the mucosa, submucosa, and muscularis propria, respectively. The thickness of the bladder wall demonstrated on T2-weighted images was almost equal to that of the outer layer on enhanced T1-weighted images. Thus, T2-weighted images revealed only the muscle layer as an intermediate-intensity band. In the preliminary clinical study, MR imaging invariably showed accurate stages of the bladder carcinoma in 13 patients. Conclusion: In MR imaging of the normal bladder wall, the submucosa was strikingly enhanced after Gd-DTPA administration, separating the bladder wall into three layers. This may have a potential role in the staging of bladder tumors.     

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging of plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma with histopathological correlation: A case report

Plasmacytoid urothelial carcinomas of the bladder are rare, aggressive variants with a poor prognosis. Few reports have described the correlation of histopathological features with multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging findings in the local staging of plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma. An 82-year-old woman with hematuria was referred to our hospital. Magnetic resonance imaging showed diffuse bladder wall thickening, with different signal intensities in the 2 layers—inner and outer. This case suggests that the presence of diffuse bladder wall thickening and varying signal intensities in the 2 layers could aid in the local staging of plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma. A thickened bladder wall with restricted diffusion suggests tumor invasion, indicating that the tumor can invade the organ in contact with the thickened bladder wall.     

Synchronous and metachronous transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary tract: prevalence, incidence, and radiographic detection

Six hundred forty-five cases of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, ureter, and/or kidney were reviewed retrospectively to determine the frequency of synchronous and metachronous lesions elsewhere in the urinary tract. Among 597 patients with TCC of the bladder, 23 (3.9%) developed an upper-tract lesion, after an average delay of 61 months. Metachronous upper-tract tumors developed in 13% of 38 patients with primary ureteral TCC and in 11% of 63 with renal TCC, after average delays of 28 and 22 months, respectively. Synchronous TCC was found in 2.3% of patients with bladder TCC, 39% of those with ureteral TCC, and 24% of those with renal TCC. Seventeen percent of the subsequent upper-tract lesions would have been demonstrated by intravenous or retrograde urography performed 1 year after the initial onset of primary bladder cancer, and 61% would have been demonstrated by studies performed within 2 years. Therefore, the authors recommend annual radiologic evaluation of the upper urinary tract for 2 years after initial diagnosis and treatment of an upper-tract or bladder TCC.     

Active device tracking and high-resolution intravascular MRI using a novel catheter-based, opposed-solenoid phased array coil.

A novel two-element, catheter-based phased array coil was designed and built for both active MR device tracking and high-resolution vessel wall imaging. The device consists of two independent solenoid coils that are wound in opposite directions, connected to separate receive channels, and mounted collinearly on an angiographic catheter. The elements were used independently or together for tracking or imaging applications, respectively. The array's dual functionality was tested on a clinical 1.5 T MRI scanner in vitro, in vivo, and in situ. During real-time catheter tracking, each element gave rise to a high-amplitude peak in the respective projection data, which enabled reliable and robust device tracking as well as automated slice positioning. In vivo microimaging with 240 microm in-plane resolution was achieved in 9 s using the device and TrueFISP imaging. Therefore, a single device was successfully implemented that met the combined requirements of intravascular device tracking and imaging.     

Toward rapid high resolution in vivo intravascular MRI: evaluation of vessel wall conspicuity in a porcine model using multiple imaging protocols

PURPOSE: To assess magnetic resonance (MR) pulse sequences for high resolution intravascular imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intravascular imaging of the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries was performed in vivo in a porcine model at 1.5 T using catheter-mounted micro-receive coils. Ten protocols, including spin-echo (SE)-echo planar imaging (SE-EPI), segmented EPI, half-Fourier single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE), fast imaging with steady-state free precession (TrueFISP), turbo spin-echo (TSE), and SE acquisition schemes were employed in 13 trials. Images were analyzed by six expert raters with respect to wall-conspicuity, wall-to-lumen/tissue contrast, visible layers of the arterial wall, anticipated clinical usefulness, and overall image quality. Mean differences between sequence-types were evaluated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) between groups with planned comparisons. RESULTS: The vessel wall was delineated in almost all protocols. Motion artifacts from physiological and device motion were reduced in fast techniques. The best contrast between the wall and surrounding tissue was provided by a HASTE protocol. Anatomic layers of the vessel wall were best depicted on dark blood T2-weighted TSE. Overall, TrueFISP was ranked highest on the remaining measures. CONCLUSION: Dedicated catheter-coils combined with fast sequences have potential for in vivo characterization of vessel walls. TrueFISP offered the best overall image quality and acquisition speed, but suffered from the inability to delineate the multiple layers of the wall, which seems associated with dark blood- and T2-weighted contrast. We believe future intra-arterial trials should proceed from this study in normal artery imaging and initially focus on fast T2-weighted dark blood techniques in trials with pathology.     

MR imaging of gastric cancer in vitro: accuracy of invasion depth diagnosis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of grading cancerous invasion of the gastric wall in vitro using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Twelve specimens of gastric carcinoma were examined at 1.5-T using a small, loop surface coil. They were imaged within 2 days of fixation in formalin. The field of view was 30 mm; the matrix size was 256×256, and the section thickness was 2 mm. T1-weighted, T2-weighted and short inversion time inversion recovery (STIR) images were obtained. Two radiologists evaluated the MR images independently, and in discrepant cases, consensus was obtained through discussion. Findings on MR images were compared with histopathologic findings. All T1-weighted, T2-weighted and STIR images depicted the normal gastric wall as consisting of six layers. STIR images depicted normal six layers most clearly. Histologically, the cancerous invasion was found to extend into the mucosa in 4 of the 12 specimens, the submucosa in 3, the muscularis propria in 2, the subserosa in 2 and the serosa in 1. The grading by MR imaging matched the histopathologic findings for all 12 tumors. The overall accuracy was 100%. Thus, MR imaging in vitro was sufficiently accurate for grading cancerous invasion of the gastric wall.     

In vitro and in vivo characterisation of [11C]-DASB: a probe for in vivo measurements of the serotonin transporter by positron emission tomography

3-Amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile, labeled with carbon-11 ([11C]-DASB), is a recently introduced radiotracer for imaging the serotonin transporter (SERT) by positron emission tomography (PET). A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to further characterise the properties of [11C]-DASB as an in vivo imaging agent for SERT. In vitro binding assays confirmed that DASB binds specifically to SERT with nanomolar affinity and high selectivity over a large number of other receptors, ion-channels and enzymes in the central nervous system. Ex vivo, [11C]-DASB binding in rat brain was shown to be saturable (ED(50) of 56 nmoles/kg), and sensitive to both the number of available SERT binding sites and the number of viable serotonin neurons. Estimates of the radiation dose in man were extrapolated from rat biodistribution data (effective dose 5.5 E-03 mSv/MBq; critical organ --urinary bladder wall). Together with previous studies, the present findings indicate that [11C]-DASB is a very useful radiopharmaceutical for probing changes in SERT densities using PET imaging in the living human brain.