Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Diagnostic Pathology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, NMR Laboratory, Korea.
Published online: January 1, 2001.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To compared the role of high-resolution US with MR micromaging in evaluating gastric wall invesion for stomach carcinoma specimens. MATERIALS & METHODS: Seventeen formalin-fixed stomach carcinoma specimen, dissected into 2x2 cm sections, were examined with MR microimaging at 4.7T superconducting magnet and high-resolution ultrasound(US). These images were compared with the pathologic finding, about the tumor invasion depth in the gastric wall. With these prepared specimens, MR microimagimg and high-resolution US were performed in four different sites in a single slice of specimen to find matching images between two modalities. Analysis between MR and high-resolution US was performed independently by two radiologists who were blinded to pathological results. Disagreement was solved by consensus between radiologists. The tumor invasion depth in the gastric wall was interpreted into three parts: mucosa, submucosa, muscle or serosal layer. RESULTS: The mucosa, submucosa and proper muscle layers were identified in both imaging modalities. In Tl-weighted images, 11 of 17 cases were well correlated with pathologic specimens: one was overdiagnosed and five, underdiagnosed. In T2-weighted images, 12 of 17 cases were well correlated with pathologic specimens : five were underdiagnosed. In high-resolution US, 11 cases were matched with pathologic specimens: three were overdiagnosed and three, underdiagnosed. CONCLUSION: In vitro, MR microimaging and high-resolution US showed the same result in evaluating gastric wall invasion for stomach carcinoma specimens.