Pasquale Paolantonio MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Marco Rengo MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Riccardo Ferrari MD, Abstract Co-Author: Research Consultant, im3D SpA, Italy

Fabrizio Vecchietti, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Carlo Nicola de Cecco MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Andrea Laghi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Research Consultant, E-Z-EM, Inc Research Consultant, Vital Images, Inc Research Consultant, General Electric Company Research Consultant, Viatronix, Inc Research Consultant, TeraRecon, Inc Research Consultant, im3D SpA

To quantitatively evaluate signal intensity modification of myometrium and uterine tumor after USPIO administration.

We retrospectively evaluated 88 females affected by uterine neoplasm previously enrolled in a multicentric study on lympho-specific properties of USPIO. For each patient GRE T2*W sequences acquired before and 24 hours after iv administration of 2.6 mg/kg BW of Sinerem (Guerbet, Aulnay, France) were available. Image analysis was performed by consensus by two radiologists and it included quantitative analysis of signal intensity (SI) of both normal myometrium and neoplastic lesions before and after USPIO administration. S/N and C/N were calculated. Quantitative data were compared using Wilcoxon test (p<0.05).

SI of myometrium on plain-MRI was statistically lower than on USPIO-enhanced-MRI, with a mean SNR difference of 16.1. Tumors showed a significant reduction of SNR after USPIO, inferior to myometrium SNR drop (mean difference of 9.8). Therefore C/N between tumor and normal myometrium significantly increased following USPIO administration.

Intravenous injection of USPIO provides a decrease of SI of both normal myometrium and tumor. Negative enhancement of myometrium is more important for myometrium than for tumor leading to a higher tumor conspicuity after USPIO. Further studies are necessary to assess the mechanism of those effects.

Negative enhancement of myometrium is an unexpected effect of USPIO administration leading to increasement of uterine neoplasm conspicutity with potential benefit on tumor T-staging.  

Paolantonio, P, Rengo, M, Ferrari, R, Vecchietti, F, de Cecco, C, Laghi, A, Modification of Signal Intensities of Tumor and Normal Myometrium after USPIO Administration in Patients with Uterine Malignancies: A Quantitative Retrospective Study on a Large Patient’s Population.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6020080.html