State-of-the-art MR Imaging for Thoracic Diseases
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- Tanaka Yumi
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
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- Ohno Yoshiharu
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine Joint Research Laboratory of Advanced Medical Imaging, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
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- Hanamatsu Satomu
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
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- Obama Yuki
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
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- Ueda Takahiro
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
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- Ikeda Hirotaka
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
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- Iwase Akiyoshi
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University Hospital
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- Fukuba Takashi
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University Hospital
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- Hattori Hidekazu
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
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- Murayama Kazuhiro
- Joint Research Laboratory of Advanced Medical Imaging, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
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- Yoshikawa Takeshi
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Hyogo Cancer Center
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- Takenaka Daisuke
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Hyogo Cancer Center
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- Koyama Hisanobu
- Department of Radiology, Osaka Police Hospital
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- Toyama Hiroshi
- Department of Radiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
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Description
<p>Since thoracic MR imaging was first used in a clinical setting, it has been suggested that MR imaging has limited clinical utility for thoracic diseases, especially lung diseases, in comparison with x-ray CT and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT. However, in many countries and states and for specific indications, MR imaging has recently become practicable. In addition, recently developed pulmonary MR imaging with ultra-short TE (UTE) and zero TE (ZTE) has enhanced the utility of MR imaging for thoracic diseases in routine clinical practice. Furthermore, MR imaging has been introduced as being capable of assessing pulmonary function. It should be borne in mind, however, that these applications have so far been academically and clinically used only for healthy volunteers, but not for patients with various pulmonary diseases in Japan or other countries. In 2020, the Fleischner Society published a new report, which provides consensus expert opinions regarding appropriate clinical indications of pulmonary MR imaging for not only oncologic but also pulmonary diseases. This review article presents a brief history of MR imaging for thoracic diseases regarding its technical aspects and major clinical indications in Japan 1) in terms of what is currently available, 2) promising but requiring further validation or evaluation, and 3) developments warranting research investigations in preclinical or patient studies. State-of-the-art MR imaging can non-invasively visualize lung structural and functional abnormalities without ionizing radiation and thus provide an alternative to CT. MR imaging is considered as a tool for providing unique information. Moreover, prospective, randomized, and multi-center trials should be conducted to directly compare MR imaging with conventional methods to determine whether the former has equal or superior clinical relevance. The results of these trials together with continued improvements are expected to update or modify recommendations for the use of MRI in near future.</p>
Journal
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- Magnetic Resonance in Medical Sciences
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Magnetic Resonance in Medical Sciences 21 (1), 212-234, 2022
Japanese Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine