Extracellular volume fraction derived from equilibrium contrast-enhanced CT as a diagnostic parameter in anterior...

To assess the usefulness of extracellular volume (ECV) fraction derived from equilibrium contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) for diagnosing anterior mediastinal tumors.

This study included 161 histologically confirmed anterior mediastinal tumors (55 low-risk thymomas, 57 high-risk thymomas, 32 thymic carcinomas, and 17 malignant lymphomas) that were assessed by pretreatment CECT. ECV fraction was calculated using measurements obtained within the lesion and the aorta on unenhanced and equilibrium phase CECT. ECV fraction was compared among anterior mediastinal tumors using one-way ANOVA or t-test. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the ability of ECV fraction to differentiate thymic carcinomas/lymphomas from thymomas.

ECV fraction differed significantly among the anterior mediastinal tumors (p < 0.001). ECV fraction of thymic carcinomas was significantly higher than those of low-risk thymomas, high-risk thymomas, and lymphomas (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.006, respectively). ECV fraction of lymphomas was significantly higher than that of low-risk thymomas (p < 0.001). ECV fraction was significantly higher in thymic carcinomas/lymphomas than in thymomas (40.1 % vs. 27.7 %, p < 0.001). The optimal cutoff value to differentiate thymic carcinomas/lymphomas from thymomas was 38.5 % (AUC, 0.805; 95 %CI, 0.736-0.863).

ECV fraction derived from equilibrium CECT is helpful in diagnosing anterior mediastinal tumors. High ECV fraction is indicative of thymic carcinomas/lymphomas, particularly thymic carcinomas.