Whole-body MRI including diffusion-weighted MRI compared with 5-HTP PET/CT in the detection of neuroendocrine tumors

Lina  Carlbom; José  Caballero-Corbalán; Dan  Granberg; Jens  Sörensen; Barbro  Eriksson; Håkan  Ahlström

doi:10.1080/03009734.2016.1248803

Lina Carlbom Institute of Surgical Sciences, Department of Radiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
José Caballero-Corbalán Department of Medical Sciences. Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Dan Granberg Department of Medical Sciences. Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Jens Sörensen Institute of Surgical Sciences, Department of Radiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Barbro Eriksson Department of Medical Sciences. Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Håkan Ahlström Institute of Surgical Sciences, Department of Radiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03009734.2016.1248803

Keywords: Diffusion-weighted MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, neuroendocrine tumors, positron-emission tomography, whole-body imaging

Abstract

Aim: We wanted to explore if whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including diffusion-weighted (DW) and liver-specific contrast agent-enhanced imaging could be valuable in lesion detection of neuroendocrine tumors (NET). [11C]-5-Hydroxytryptophan positron emission tomography/computed tomography (5-HTP PET/CT) was used for comparison.

Materials and methods: Twenty-one patients with NET were investigated with whole-body MRI, including DW imaging (DWI) and contrast-enhanced imaging of the liver, and whole-body 5-HTP PET/CT. Seven additional patients underwent upper abdomen MRI including DWI, liver-specific contrast agent-enhanced imaging, and 5-HTP PET/CT.

Results: There was a patient-based concordance of 61% and a lesion-based concordance of 53% between the modalities. MRI showed good concordance with PET in detecting bone metastases but was less sensitive in detecting metastases in mediastinal lymph nodes. MRI detected more liver metastases than 5-HTP PET/CT.

Conclusion: Whole-body MRI with DWI did not detect all NET lesions found with whole-body 5-HTP PET/CT. Our findings indicate that MRI of the liver including liver-specific contrast agent-enhanced imaging and DWI could be a useful complement to whole-body 5-HTP PET/CT.

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