Abstract
RATIONALE: Patients with sarcoidosis are quite young and are deemed to have their lung checked on a regular basis, which is usually done by CT. A radiation free imaging technique, like Magnetic resonance (MR), would be important to reduce radiation burden. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of proton MRI of the lung in sarcoidosis patients and the agreement between the imaging appearance of pulmonary sarcoidosis on MRI and CT.
MATERIALS/METHODS: 22 patients were included (13f, 9m), 15 patients were available for comparison between chest CT scans and pulmonary MRI scans (1.0Tesla, T1w & T2w sequences, no contrast media). The scans were scored by one experienced radiologist for sarcoid stage, image quality, gross parenchymal opacification, reticulation, nodules, and masses using a 3-point lobar scale. Total scores for corresponding MRI and CT scans were compared using the Mann-Whitney test.
RESULTS: Quality of MR scans was rated excellent in 12 and good in 3 cases. The disease severity (stage) was: stage 1 – 4 patients; 2 – 7; 3 – 3; and 4 – 2; with 100% agreement between both imaging modalities. There was substantial correlation for T2w images in parenchymal opacification (CT-SSH: p=0.74; CT-T2-SPIR: p=0.74; CT-T1: p=0.23). Correlation in parenchymal reticulation: CT-SSH: p=0.59; CT-T2-SPIR: p=1; CT-T1: p=0.55. Pulmonary nodules: CT-SSH: p=0.09; CT-T2-SPIR: p=0.31; CT-T1: p=0.01. Pulmonary masses: CT-SSH: p=0.68; CT-T2-SPIR: p=0.68; CT-T1: p=0.32.
CONCLUSION: There is substantial correlation and agreement between MRI and CT in the scoring of pulmonary sarcoidosis especially using T2w sequences. However, improvement in detection of small pulmonary nodules seems warrant.
- Copyright ©the authors 2016
