Dual-energy CT perfusion imaging for differentiating invasive thymomas, thymic carcinomas, and lymphomas in adults.

Abstract

AIM:

To evaluate the role of dual-energy computed tomography perfusion (DECTP) imaging in differentiating invasive thymomas (ITs), thymic cancers (TCs), and lymphomas in adults.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Ninety-five patients with solid masses in the prevascular mediastinum who underwent DECTP examinations were enrolled in this study. The perfusion parameters (blood flow, BF; blood volume, BV; mean transit time, MTT; permeability surface, PS) and spectral parameters (water concentration, WC; iodine concentration, IC; normalised iodine concentration, NIC; the slope of spectral radiodensity [Hounsfield units] curve, λHU) of the lesions were analysed.

RESULTS:

There were no differences in the MTT or WC values among ITs, TCs, and lymphomas (all p>0.05). The IC, NIC, and λHU values in the optimal arterial and venous phases and PS values of TCs were higher than those of ITs and lymphomas (all p<0.05), and there were no differences between ITs and lymphomas (all p>0.05). The BF and BV values of lymphomas were lower than those of ITs and TCs (all p<0.05), and there were no differences between ITs and TCs (all p>0.05). The cut-off values for BF and BV used to differentiate lymphomas from ITs and TCs were 42.83 ml/min/100 g and 4.66 ml/100 g, respectively (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.847 and 0.839; sensitivity, 80.6% and 82.1%; specificity, 75% and 71.4%; accuracy, 78.9% and 81.1%).

CONCLUSIONS:

The perfusion and spectral parameters of DECTP imaging help to identify ITs, TCs, and lymphomas, and BF and BV values help to differentiate lymphomas from ITs and TCs.

• Authors: C H Yu, R P Zhang, X T Yang, Z Yang, L Xin, Z Z Zhao, J Wang, L X Wang
• Journal: Clinical radiology (Clin Radiol) Vol. 77 Issue 6 Pg. e417-e424 (06 2022) ISSN: 1365-229X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 35365296 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Chemical References

• Iodine

Topics

• Adult
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Humans
• Iodine
• Lymphoma (diagnostic imaging)
• Perfusion Imaging
• Thymoma (diagnostic imaging)
• Thymus Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed (methods)