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Title: SU-E-J-07: A Functional MR Protocol for the Pancreatic Tumor Delineation

Abstract

Purpose: Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers with the poorest survival prognosis. At the time of diagnosis most of pancreatic cancers are unresectable and those patients can be treated by radiotherapy. Radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer is limited due to uncertainties in CT-based delineations. MRI provides an excellent soft tissue contrast. Here, an MR protocol is developed to improve delineations for radiotherapy treatment of pancreatic cancer. In a later stage this protocol can also be used for on-line visualization of the pancreas during MRI guided treatments. Methods: Nine pancreatic cancer patients were included. The MR protocol included T2 weighted(T2w), T1 weighted(T1w), diffusion weighted(DWI) and dynamic contrast enhanced(DCE) techniques. The tumor was delineated on T2w and T1w MRI by an experienced radiation oncologist. Healthy pancreas or pancreatitis (assigned by the oncologist based on T2w) areas were also delineated. Apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC), and area under the curve(AUC)/time to peak(TTP) maps were obtained from DWI and DCE scans, respectively. Results: A clear demarcation of tumor area was visible on b800 DWI images in 5 patients. ADC maps of those patients characterized tumor as an area with restricted water diffusion. Tumor delineations based on solely DCE were possible in 7 patients. In 6 ofmore » those patients AUC maps demonstrated tumor heterogeneity: a hypointense area with a hyperintense ring. TTP values clearly discriminated the tumor and the healthy pancreas but could not distinguish tumor and the pancreatitis accurately. Conclusion: MR imaging results in a more pronounced tumor contrast than contrast enhanced CT. The addition of quantitative, functional MRI provides valuable, additional information to the radiation oncologist on the spatial tumor extent by discriminating tumor from the healthy pancreas(TTP, DWI) and characterizing the tumor(ADC). Our findings indicate that tumor delineation in pancreatic cancer can greatly benefit from the addition of MRI and especially functional MR techniques.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22325293
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Medical Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 41; Journal Issue: 6; Other Information: (c) 2014 American Association of Physicists in Medicine; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-2405
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; ANIMAL TISSUES; AUC; DIAGNOSIS; DIAGRAMS; DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES; IMAGES; MEDICAL PERSONNEL; NEOPLASMS; NMR IMAGING; PANCREAS; PATIENTS; RADIOTHERAPY

Citation Formats

Andreychenko, A, Heerkens, H, Meijer, G, Vulpen, M van, Lagendijk, J, and Berg, C van den. SU-E-J-07: A Functional MR Protocol for the Pancreatic Tumor Delineation. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1118/1.4888058.
Andreychenko, A, Heerkens, H, Meijer, G, Vulpen, M van, Lagendijk, J, & Berg, C van den. SU-E-J-07: A Functional MR Protocol for the Pancreatic Tumor Delineation. United States. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4888058
Andreychenko, A, Heerkens, H, Meijer, G, Vulpen, M van, Lagendijk, J, and Berg, C van den. 2014. "SU-E-J-07: A Functional MR Protocol for the Pancreatic Tumor Delineation". United States. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4888058.
@article{osti_22325293,
title = {SU-E-J-07: A Functional MR Protocol for the Pancreatic Tumor Delineation},
author = {Andreychenko, A and Heerkens, H and Meijer, G and Vulpen, M van and Lagendijk, J and Berg, C van den},
abstractNote = {Purpose: Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers with the poorest survival prognosis. At the time of diagnosis most of pancreatic cancers are unresectable and those patients can be treated by radiotherapy. Radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer is limited due to uncertainties in CT-based delineations. MRI provides an excellent soft tissue contrast. Here, an MR protocol is developed to improve delineations for radiotherapy treatment of pancreatic cancer. In a later stage this protocol can also be used for on-line visualization of the pancreas during MRI guided treatments. Methods: Nine pancreatic cancer patients were included. The MR protocol included T2 weighted(T2w), T1 weighted(T1w), diffusion weighted(DWI) and dynamic contrast enhanced(DCE) techniques. The tumor was delineated on T2w and T1w MRI by an experienced radiation oncologist. Healthy pancreas or pancreatitis (assigned by the oncologist based on T2w) areas were also delineated. Apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC), and area under the curve(AUC)/time to peak(TTP) maps were obtained from DWI and DCE scans, respectively. Results: A clear demarcation of tumor area was visible on b800 DWI images in 5 patients. ADC maps of those patients characterized tumor as an area with restricted water diffusion. Tumor delineations based on solely DCE were possible in 7 patients. In 6 of those patients AUC maps demonstrated tumor heterogeneity: a hypointense area with a hyperintense ring. TTP values clearly discriminated the tumor and the healthy pancreas but could not distinguish tumor and the pancreatitis accurately. Conclusion: MR imaging results in a more pronounced tumor contrast than contrast enhanced CT. The addition of quantitative, functional MRI provides valuable, additional information to the radiation oncologist on the spatial tumor extent by discriminating tumor from the healthy pancreas(TTP, DWI) and characterizing the tumor(ADC). Our findings indicate that tumor delineation in pancreatic cancer can greatly benefit from the addition of MRI and especially functional MR techniques.},
doi = {10.1118/1.4888058},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22325293}, journal = {Medical Physics},
issn = {0094-2405},
number = 6,
volume = 41,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}