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Magnetic resonance imaging of intramuscular metastases

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Abstract

Objective

The aim of the present study was to analyse magnetic resonance findings of intramuscular metastases (IM) in a relatively large series.

Materials and Methods

From January 2000 to January 2010, 28 patients (207 metastases) were retrospectively identified in the radiological database of the Martin-Luther-University. Several different scanning protocols were used depending on the localisation of IM. In 12 patients diffusion-weighted (DW) images were obtained with a multi-shot SE-EPI sequence. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were also calculated. Furthermore, fusion images were manually generated between the DW and half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) images.

Results

On T2-weighted images, 97% of the recognised IM were hyperintense in comparison to unaffected musculature, and 3% were mixed iso- to hyperintense. On T1-weighted images most IM (91%) were homogeneously isointense in comparison to muscle tissue, whereas 4% were hypointense, and 5% lightly hyperintense. ADC maps were calculated for 91 metastases ranging from 0.99 to 4.00 mm2s−1 (mean value 1.99 ± 0.66). ADC values of low (<1.5) signal intensity (SI) were identified in 26%, moderate SI (from 1.5 to 3.0) in 68%, and high SI (>3.0) in 6%. Of the IM that were investigated with contrast medium, 88.5% showed marked enhancement. It was homogeneous in 88% and heterogenous in 6%. Rim enhancement with central low attenuation was seen in 6%. There was no difference in enhancement characteristics with respect to ADC values or fusion patterns. Peritumoral enhancement was identified in 2.4%.

Conclusion

Magnetic resonance features of muscle metastases are relatively typical and consist of round or oval intramuscular masses with well-defined margins, marked enhancement, low or moderate ADC values, and moderate to high signal intensity on fusion images.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany

    Alexey Surov, Rolf-Peter Spielmann & Curd Behrmann

  2. Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany

    Eckhard Fiedler

  3. Department of Oncology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany

    Wieland Voigt

  4. Department of Biometry, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany

    Andreas Wienke

  5. Department of Pathology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany

    Hans-Jürgen Holzhausen

Authors
  1. Alexey Surov
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  2. Eckhard Fiedler
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  3. Wieland Voigt
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  4. Andreas Wienke
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  5. Hans-Jürgen Holzhausen
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  6. Rolf-Peter Spielmann
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  7. Curd Behrmann
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Correspondence to Alexey Surov.

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Surov, A., Fiedler, E., Voigt, W. et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of intramuscular metastases. Skeletal Radiol 40, 439–446 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-010-1018-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-010-1018-x

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