Body
Female Soft Tissue Pelvis
At a single institution, studies were preformed to determine the effect of pelvic MR imaging on the diagnosis and treatment of women with presumed symptomatic uterine fibroids. Interventional radiologists prospectively completed questionnaires (n = 60) before and after MR imaging was performed in their evaluation of women presenting for potential UFE. The questionnaires asked these physicians the probability (0%-100%) of their most likely diagnosis before MR imaging and after receiving the MR imaging information. They were also asked their anticipated and final treatment plans. Diagnostic confidence gains and the proportion of patients with changed initial diagnoses or anticipated management were calculated. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess gains in diagnostic confidence.
The end results were that MR imaging caused a mean gain in diagnostic confidence of 22% (P <.0001). MR imaging changed initial diagnoses in 11 patients (18%). Immediate clinical management changed in 13 patients (22%). UFE was not performed in 11 of 57 women (19%) who were anticipated before MR imaging to receive UFE.
It was concluded that, MR imaging significantly alters the diagnoses and treatment plans of interventional radiologists evaluating women with presumed symptomatic fibroids and that MR imaging should be considered in all patients before UFE.
-Reference: J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2002 Nov;13(11):1149-53, Pereles, FS M.D.
Case Studies/Sources:
1. MRI of the Pelvis in Women: 3D Versus 2D T2-Weighted Technique Nicole Proscia, Tracy A. Jaffe, Amy M. Neville, Carolyn L. Wang, Brian M. Dale, and Elmar M. Merkle; American Journal of Roentgenology 2010 195:1, 254-259
2. https://static.healthcare.siemens.com/siemens_hwem-hwem_ssxa_websites-context-root/wcm/idc/groups/public/@global/@imaging/@mri/documents/download/mda2/mtay/~edisp/case-report-3d-space-mr-acquisition-in-genitourinary-tract-imaging-03051731.pdf
Additional utilization of 3-D MRI in Body Imaging:
1. http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/3d_mri_scans_may_offer_better_way_to_predict_survival_after_targeted_chemo_for_liver_tumors
2. https://static.healthcare.siemens.com/siemens_hwem-hwem_ssxa_websites-context-root/wcm/idc/groups/public/@global/@imaging/@mri/documents/download/mdaz/mdmz/~edisp/mri_57_kean-01390763.pdf
