DYNAMIC MR TOMOGRAPHY IN DIAGNOSIS OF INFLAMMATORY AND TUMOROUS SPACE-OCCUPYING GROWTHS OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM

In 216 inflammatory and tumorous lesions of bone and soft tissue, dynamic Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging was performed. For that purpose, 12 FLASH sequences (TR = 40 ms/TE = 10 ms/NSA = 2/flip angle = 90-degrees) were acquired within 4 minutes; and Gd-DTPA bolus injection was administered following the first sequence. Slopes from the signal intensity curves were calculated. Estimated slopes allowed an assessment of the malignant potential of a lesion with an accuracy of 88%. Further more, a reliable differentiation between vital and necrotic tissue and between tumour and peritumoral edema was reliably possible. With this technique, response of malignant tumours to preoperative chemotherapy was correctly predicted in 83% of the cases. No differentiation of inflammatory from tumorous lesions was possible.