Role of Diffusion Weighted MRI in Evaluation of Mediastinal Masses

Abstract

This study entails evaluation of 30 patients; 16 males and 14 females presenting with mediastinal masses for evaluation by MRI with diffusion. Their ages were ranging between 22 and 82 years (mean age 49.3 +/- 16.85). 10 cases were diagnosed as central bronchogenic carcinoma; four cases showed central mass with post obstructive collapse. Magnetic resonance DWI could differentiate the mass from post obstructive collapse in 3 cases and in the fourth case both the central mass and post obstructive collapse showed similar ADC values denoting tumoral infiltration of the collapsed lung segment. DWI was able to detect associated metastatic mediastinal lymphadenopathy in 8 cases, pleural effusion in 2 cases, pulmonary nodules in 4 cases, suprarenal masses in 2 cases, pericardial effusion in 1 case and multiple hepatic deposits in 1 case. 13 patients presented with mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy; 6 patients pathologically proven as sarcoidosis and 7 patients as lymphoma.