Hyun Woo Goo MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Ho Joon Im MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jong Jin Seo MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hyun Nam Moon MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To investigate the usefulness of whole-body MRI for pediatric oncology in comparison with whole-body PET and to assess diagnostic value of additional diffusion/perfusion MRI.

Twenty-six pairs of whole-body MRI and PET(18 PET, 8 PET-CT) in 19 patients (mean age 8 years, range 2–17 years) with various oncological diseases performed within 2 week-interval (4.3±4.3 days) without any interventions were enrolled in this study. According to the standard of reference determined by two readers based on pathologic proofs as well as clinical and imaging follow-up data (9.6±7.9 months), findings on whole-body MRI were compared with those on whole-body PET. We analyzed frequencies and reasons for the discrepancies. Diagnostic value of additional diffusion (n=14) and perfusion MRI (n=8) was evaluated.

Findings on whole-body MRI and PET were concordant in five pairs (19%, 5/26). Whole-body MRI identified lesions more accurately in 18 studies (69%, 18/26) and less accurately in 6 studies (23%, 6/28) than whole-body PET did. The discrepancies were attributed to inherent limitations of each modality. Diffusion/perfusion MRI was useful in 5 studies, which reduced the number of inaccurate lesions detected on whole-body MRI (12%, 3/28) or increased diagnostic confidence in 2 whole-body MRI studies.

Whole-body MRI with diffusion/perfusion MRI appears better than whole-body PET in the evaluation of pediatric oncological patients.

Our study strongly suggests that whole-body MRI should be the mainstay of pediatric oncological imaging.

Goo, H, Im, H, Seo, J, Moon, H, Retrospective Comparison of Whole-body MRI with PET in Pediatric Oncological Patients and Diagnostic Value of Additional Diffusion/Perfusion MRI.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6005878.html