Visualizing Aortic Inflammation by Diffusion-Weighted Whole-Body Imaging with Background Body Signal Suppression...

A 75-year-old man, with a history of descending thoracic aortic rupture and dissection treated with aortic stenting at 73 years old, was admitted for rehabilitation following recurrent cerebral ischemic attacks. Upon admission, blood tests revealed elevated inflammatory markers, including a C-reactive protein (CRP) level of 10.75 mg/dL and a D-dimer level of 4.2 µg/mL, alongside microcytic anemia. Despite thorough evaluations using computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound, the origin of these abnormalities remained unidentified. Two months later, MRI using diffusion-weighted whole-body imaging with background body signal suppression (DWIBS) revealed hyperintensities in the thoracic aorta. He remained asymptomatic and progressed well during rehabilitation, prompting continued observation. However, three months after admission, he developed hemoptysis. Contrast-enhanced CT showed pneumonia, as well as enhanced lesions in the aortic wall, confirming aortic inflammation. Due to concerns about aortic stent ulceration, an emergency stent graft insertion extending to the superior mesenteric artery was performed. He recovered uneventfully and was discharged. DWIBS is an MRI-based tool that avoids exposure to radiation or contrast agents and is cost-effective. MRI using DWIBS demonstrated high signal accumulations in the aortic wall, indicative of inflammation. These findings suggest that DWIBS holds significant potential as a powerful imaging tool for detecting and assessing inflammation, particularly in the aorta.