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Thoracic calcifications on magnetic resonance imaging: correlations with computed tomography

Thoracic calcifications on magnetic resonance imaging: correlations with computed tomography

Authors :
Juliana Fischman Zampieri
Gabriel Sartori Pacini
Matheus Zanon
Stephan Philip Leonhardt Altmayer
Guilherme Watte
Marcelo Barros
Evandra Durayski
Gustavo de Souza Portes Meirelles
Marcos Duarte Guimarães
Edson Marchiori
Arthur Soares Souza Junior
Bruno Hochhegger
Source :
Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia, Vol 45, Iss 4
Publisher :
Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisiologia.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the characteristics of thoracic calcifications on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, as well as correlations between MR imaging and CT findings. Methods: This was a retrospective study including data on 62 patients undergoing CT scans and MR imaging of the chest at any of seven hospitals in the Brazilian states of Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro between March of 2014 and June of 2016 and presenting with calcifications on CT scans. T1- and T2-weighted MR images (T1- and T2-WIs) were semiquantitatively analyzed, and the lesion-to-muscle signal intensity ratio (LMSIR) was estimated. Differences between neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions were analyzed. Results: Eighty-four calcified lesions were analyzed. Mean lesion density on CT was 367 ± 435 HU. Median LMSIRs on T1- and T2-WIs were 0.4 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.1-0.7) and 0.2 (IQR, 0.0-0.7), respectively. Most of the lesions were hypointense on T1- and T2-WIs (n = 52 [61.9%] and n = 39 [46.4%], respectively). In addition, 19 (22.6%) were undetectable on T1-WIs (LMSIR = 0) and 36 (42.9%) were undetectable on T2-WIs (LMSIR = 0). Finally, 15.5% were hyperintense on T1-WIs and 9.5% were hyperintense on T2-WIs. Median LMSIR was significantly higher for neoplastic lesions than for non-neoplastic lesions. There was a very weak and statistically insignificant negative correlation between lesion density on CT and the following variables: signal intensity on T1-WIs, LMSIR on T1-WIs, and signal intensity on T2-WIs (r = −0.13, p = 0.24; r = −0.18, p = 0.10; and r = −0.16, p = 0.16, respectively). Lesion density on CT was weakly but significantly correlated with LMSIR on T2-WIs (r = −0.29, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Thoracic calcifications have variable signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted MR images, sometimes appearing hyperintense. Lesion density on CT appears to correlate negatively with lesion signal intensity on MR images.

Details

Language :
English, Portuguese
ISSN :
18063756 and 18063713
Volume :
45
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.84111085e59349c69c745a8b26b0e0f2
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-3713/e20180168