MRI of gastric carcinoma:Results of T and N-staging in an in vitro study

AIM： To determine the accuracy of 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） in the evaluation of gastric wall invasion and perigastric lymph node metastasis in gastric adenocarcinoma.METHODS： Twenty resected gastric specimens containing 20 tumors were studied with a 1.5-T MR system using a commercial head surface coil. MR scanning was performed with a T1 weighted image （TR/TE = 500/20）, and a T2 weighted image （TR/TE = 2500/90）. MR findings were compared with pathologic findings.RESULTS： A T1-weighted image demonstrated three layers in the normal gastric wall. All of the gastric tumors were well demonstrated by lesions and location. In a MRI findings of gastric wall invasion, there was 1 case of T1, 7 of T2, 11 of T3. Pathologic results of resected specimens included 3 cases of pT1, 4 of pT2, and 12 of pT3. The accuracy of T staging with MRI was 74% （14 of 19）. MRI findings of lymph node metastasis included 6 cases of NO, 13 cases of N1. The accuracy of the N staging with MRI was 47% （9 of 19）.CONCLUSION： MRI has a high diagnostic accuracy in the evaluation of the T staging of gastric cancerin vitro and thus potentially enables preoperative histopathologic staging.