Peripheral nerve tractography in soft tissue tumors: A preliminary 3‐tesla diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging study. Issue 3 (5th January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kasprian, Gregor; Amann, Gabriele; Panotopoulos, Joannis; Schmidt, Manfred; Dominkus, Martin; Trattnig, Siegfried; Windhager, Reinhard; Prayer, Daniela; Nöbauer‐Huhmann, Iris
• Is Part Of: Muscle & nerve. Volume 51:Issue 3(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 338
• Page End: 345
• Publication Date: 2015-01-05
• Subjects: Neuromuscular diseases -- Periodicals; Muscles -- Periodicals; Nerves -- Periodicals; 616.74
• DOI: 10.1002/mus.24313
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0148-639X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p> <italic>Introduction</italic>: This diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) study aimed to clarify the relationship of peripheral nerves and soft tissue tumors (STTs) in 3D to optimize subsequent treatment. <italic>Methods</italic>: Twenty‐six consecutive STT patients (histologically malignant, <italic>n</italic> = 10; intermediate, <italic>n</italic> = 3; and benign, <italic>n</italic> = 13) underwent 3‐Tesla MRI using an echoplanar DTI sequence. Deterministic tractography was performed. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were measured within peritumoral and distant regions of interest. <italic>Results</italic>: Tractography depicted the 3D course of the sciatic (<italic>n</italic> = 12), femoral (<italic>n</italic> = 2), tibial (<italic>n</italic> = 7), fibular (<italic>n</italic> = 2), median (<italic>n</italic> = 1), musculocutaneous (<italic>n</italic> = 1), and ulnar (<italic>n</italic> = 1) nerves in a regular (<italic>n</italic> = 8 of 18, 44.4%) or thinned (<italic>n</italic> = 7 of 18, 38.9%) fashion. The lowest peritumoral FA values, abrupt thinning, and/or complete discontinuity of trajectories were found in 2 cases with histologically proven tumoral nerve infiltration. <italic>Conclusions</italic>: DTI clarifies the 3D topography between major peripheral nerves and STTs and may be helpful in the assessment of peripheral nerve infiltration by malignant tumors. <italic>Muscle Nerve</italic> 51: 338–345, 2015</p> </abstract>