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Whole-body MR imaging with DW imaging can be used for M-stage assessment in NSCLC patients with accuracy as good as that of PET/CT.

Clinical ADC measurements of abdominal organs and lesions using parallel imaging appear to be reliable and useful, and the effect of parallel imaging on calculated values is considered to be minimal.

CT-guided transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy is a useful diagnostic tool for small solitary pulmonary nodules smaller than 20 mm in diameter. The diagnostic accuracy is significantly improved for large (> 10 mm) lesion size and short (< or = 40 mm) needle path length.

Purpose: To assess regional differences in quantitative pulmonary perfusion parameters, i.e., pulmonary blood flow (PBF), mean transit time (MTT), and pulmonary blood volume (PBV) in the entire lung on a pixel-by-pixel basis in normal volunteers and pulmonary hypertension patients. Materials and Methods:Three-dimensional ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging was performed in 15 normal volunteers and 25 patients with pulmonary hypertension. From the signal intensity-time course curves, PBF, MTT and PBV maps were generated using deconvolution analysis, indicator dilution theories, and the central volume principle, on a pixel-by-pixel basis. From pulmonary perfusion parameter maps of normal volunteers and pulmonary hypertension patients, regional PBF, MTT, and PBV were statistically evaluated.Results: Regional PBF, MTT, and PBV showed significant differences in the gravitational and isogravitational directions (P Ͻ 0.05). The quantitative pulmonary perfusion parameter maps demonstrated significant differences between normal volunteers and pulmonary hypertension patients (P Ͻ 0.05). Conclusion:Three-dimensional ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging is feasible for the assessment of regional quantitative pulmonary perfusion parameters in the entire lung on a pixel-by-pixel basis in normal volunteers and pulmonary hypertension patients.