[MRI diagnosis of tumor involving brachial plexus]
Xin-chun Li1, Bi-ling Liang, Jian-yu Chen
1Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 512120, P. R. China.
Background & Objective:
The incidence rate of tumor involving brachial plexus was rare and its clinical diagnosis is difficult. Several foreign authors have reported that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the best imaging diagnosis method. Howev, there was little report about this in China. This study was designed to investigate the diagnostic value of MRI in tumor involving brachial plexus.
Methods:
The MRI manifestations in 13 patients with tumor involving brachial plexus (including 3 neurofibromatosis, 4 Pancoast's tumor, 6 metastatic tumor; 8 confirmed pathologically, 2 confirmed by biopsy, 3 neurofibromatosis confirmed clinically) were analyzed retrospectively.
Results:
In 3 patients with neurofibromatosis, 2 cases showed growing along brachial plexus and represented spindle-shape; 1 cases showed growing crushing and encircling brachial plexus and represented ball-shape. There were middle or poor even signals on T1WI, and overt high and high-low mixed signals on T2WI (intense with even or uneven after enhancement). All 4 cases of Pancoast's tumor infiltrated brachial plexus. In 6 cases of metastatic tumor, 5 cases represented that localized bump encircled and infiltrated brachial plexus. 1 case represented that the tumor tissue effusively infiltrate brachial plexus. No special manifestation was shown on MRI of Pancoast's tumor and metastatic tumor. There were the similar or lower signals on T1WI, and high signals on T2WI (intense with even or uneven after enhancement).
Conclusion:
The coronal position of T1WI could clearly represent the relationship between brachial plexus and tumor, the involving extent of brachial plexus. Therefore, MRI is a effective imaging method for diagnosis of primary or secondary tumor involving brachial plexus.
