[MRI-based N-staging in XXXX ].

@entity1 @entity957 @entity418 @entity3 @entity420 @entity12306
PURPOSE: For planning the therapeutic strategies and estimating the prognosis in @entity418 , N-staging is very important. To date, MRI still is of minor importance as imaging modality of the mediastinum despite promising developments in the past, like ECG-gating or "averaging" sequences, e. g., LOTA (Long-term averaging), which facilitate mediastinal and thoracic MR-imaging. In a prospective approach, the value of MRI based N-staging was examined with respect to LOTA-sequences. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Within four weeks prior to esophagectomy, standardized MRI of the esophagus was performed in 15 @entity1 (10 @entity957 and 5 @entity420 ) using a 1.5 T whole body scanner. Imaging quality was classified based on depiction of aortic wall or tracheal wall layers. Criteria for malignant infiltration were a diameter of more than 15 mm or a round appearance of a lymph node together with GD- @entity12306 enhancement. All data were blinded and separately read by two radiologists. The data of the study were compared with those from the pathological workup of the resected specimen. RESULTS: MRI had a sensitivity of 100 % and a specificity of 78 % for lymph node @entity3 . Due to incomplete depiction of the celiac trunk (M1), nodal @entity3 in a non-enlarged node was missed. CONCLUSION: With modern MRI, N-staging is almost as accurate as the gold standard endoscopic ultrasound and should particularly be used in @entity1 not suited for an endoscopic ultrasound examination.
