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Rofo 2005; 177(7): 968-974
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-858239
Experimentelle Radiologie

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Hochauflösende T1-gewichtete MR-Lymphographie inguinaler Lymphknoten nach interstitieller Applikation von Gadomer-17 im Tierexperiment

High-resolution T1-weighted MRI of Inguinal Lymph Nodes after Interstitial MR-lymphography with Gadomer-17: Initial Results in PigsG. Staatz1 , E. Spüntrup1 , B. Klosterhalfen2 , B. Misselwitz3 , D. Pflüger1 , R. W. Günther1 , A. Bücker1
  • 1Klinik für Radiologische Diagnostik, Universitätsklinikum der RWTH Aachen
  • 2Pathologie, Universitätsklinikum der RWTH Aachen
  • 3Kontrastmittelforschung, Schering AG, Berlin
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Publication History

Publication Date:
22 June 2005 (online)

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Zusammenfassung

Ziel: Darstellung der Lymphknotenfeinstruktur inguinaler Lymphknoten (LK) mittels hochauflösender MR-Lymphographie nach interstitieller Applikation von Gadomer-17. Material und Methoden: Die hochauflösende MR-Lymphographie erfolgte nach subkutaner Injektion von 10 μmol/kg Körpergewicht Gadomer-17 in die Hinterextremitäten von zehn Hausschweinen (39 bis 46 kg) in einem 1,5-Tesla-MR-Gerät unter Verwendung einer ringförmigen Oberflächenspule. Es wurden insgesamt 20 inguinale Lymphknoten mit zwei verschiedenen hochauflösenden 3-D-Gradientenechosequenzen untersucht und zusätzlich Maximumintensitätsprojektionen nachberechnet. Die Befunde der hochauflösenden MR-Lymphogramme wurden mit den histologischen Schnitten der exzidierten Leistenlymphknoten korreliert. Ergebnisse: Die koronaren T1-gewichteten MR-Lymphogramme (TR = 20 msek, TE = 6,1 - 8,3 msek, FA = 200) mit einer Schichtdicke von 1 mm, einem FOV von 120 mm und einer Bildmatrix von 256 × 256 Bildpunkten, rekonstruiert auf 1024 × 1024 Bildpunkte (rekonstruierte Auflösung: 117 × 117 µm2) waren für die hochauflösende interstitielle MR-Lymphographie mittels Gadomer-17 zur Differenzierung von hypointensem Parenchym, hyperintensen Sinus und dilatierten Lymphgefäßen am besten geeignet. Schlussfolgerung: Die hochauflösende interstitielle MR-Lymphographie mittels Gadomer-17 erlaubt die Differenzierung verschiedener Gewebekompartimente in inguinalen LK unter Verwendung eines konventionellen 1,5-Tesla-MR-Tomographen.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the microstructural anatomy of inguinal lymph nodes in pigs after interstitial MR-lymphography with the dendritic contrast agent Gadomer-17. Material and Methods: High-resolution T1-weighted MR-lymphography was performed in inguinal lymph nodes of 10 domestic pigs (39 - 46 kg) after subcutaneous injection of 10 μmol/kg body weight Gadomer-17 in the hind legs of the animals. A 1.5T MR scanner and a ring-shaped surface coil were used. Two different high-resolution gradient-echo sequences with additionally reconstructed maximum-intensity projections were evaluated in a total of 20 lymph nodes. The high-resolution MR-findings were correlated with the histologic sections of the excised inguinal lymph nodes. Results: Coronal T1-weighted 3D gradient-echo images (TR = 20 msec, TE = 6.1 - 8.3 msec, FA = 20°) with a slice thickness of 1 mm, a field-of-view of 120 mm and a matrix size of 256x256 (reconstructed to 1024x1024 voxels) yielding a reconstructed in-plane resolution of 117x117 µm2 were best suited for the high-resolution MR lymphography of inguinal lymph nodes and enabled the differentiation of the hyperintense lymph node sinuses and hypointense lymphoid parenchyma of each lymph node (100 %). Even dilated lymphatic vessels evident in the histologic specimen were best demonstrated on the MIP images. Conclusion: High-resolution interstitial MR lymphography with Gadomer-17 allows the visualization of different tissue compartments of inguinal lymph nodes. This new technique is feasible on a routine 1.5T scanner and may offer potential for the detection of micrometastases in lymph nodes of cancer patients.

Key words

Magnetic resonance (MR), contrast enhancement - lymphatic system, MR - lymphography - magnetic resonance (MR), experimental

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PD Dr. Gundula Staatz

Klinik für Radiologische Diagnostik, Universitätsklinikum der RWTH Aachen

Pauwelsstraße 30

D-52074 Aachen

Phone: 02 41/8 08 85 23

Fax: 02 41/8 08 24 80

Email: staatz@rad.rwth-aachen.de