Extracranial lesions of the head and neck: preliminary experience with Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging.

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Abstract
The authors report initial experience with magnetic resonance imaging enhanced with gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) in 27 patients with various extracranial lesions of the head and neck. Unenhanced T1- and T2- weighted images were compared with T1-weighted images obtained 3-30 minutes after Gd-DTPA administration. Overall, compared with precontrast T1- and T2- weighted images, Gd-DTPA improved the visibility of lesions in 11 and five of 27 patients, respectively. Gd-DTPA particularly improved the conspicuity of tumors of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses and tumors having perineural or intracranial extension. Gd-DTPA-enhanced images were equivalent to precontrast T1- and T2-weighted images in five and 13 patients, respectively, and inferior to them in nine and eight patients, respectively. Mixed results were obtained in two patients and one patient when Gd-DTPA-enhanced images were compared with T1- and T2-weighted images, respectively. The authors conclude that Gd-DTPA had definite but limited uses in extracranial head and neck pathologic conditions and that more research is needed to evaluate particular applications.