Pseudo-Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling: Clinical Application and Usefulness for Head and Neck Tumors

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K10314
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Umino Maki 三重大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (30649059)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 前田 正幸 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 寄附講座教授 (70219278) ; 野本 由人 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 寄附講座教授 (10252363) ; 中山 良平 立命館大学, 理工学部, 教授 (20402688)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 頭頚部腫瘍 / 機能的MRI撮影法 / 画像解析 / arterial spin labeling

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) imaging enables noninvasive quantification of tumor blood flow in the head and neck. The purpose of this study was to compare echo-planar (EP) and turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequences of pCASL, to demonstrate the clinical applications and usefulness of this method in the diagnosis of particular diseases via both tumor blood flow (TBF) quantification and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) obtained by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and to demonstrate changes in TBF after chemoradiation treatments.
TSE pCASL showed less image torsion and higher lesion conspicuity than EP pCASL. Combination of TSE pCASL and ADC enabled to differentiate benign parotid tumors from malignant parotid tumors. TBF changes were observed in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in response to chemoradiation at an early stage. This study showed that the combination of pCASL and ADC is a promising tool for head and neck tumors.

Free Research Field

放射線診断学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

頭頚部腫瘍を評価する非侵襲的な診断方法としてMRIを活用することは理にかなっている。本研究で開発された新しい血流と拡散の撮像方法を用いて得たデータを同時に解析できるソフトウェアは頭頚部腫瘍の良悪性の鑑別および質的診断、頭頚部悪性腫瘍の放射線治療後の変化において優れた診断精度を示した。頭頚部腫瘍の良悪性鑑別および質的診断、早期治療効果を非侵襲的に診断する本研究成果は、臨床への大きな貢献につながる。