INITIAL CLINICAL-EXPERIENCE WITH DEXTRAN-COATED SUPERPARAMAGNETIC IRON-OXIDE FOR DETECTION OF LYMPH-NODE METASTASES IN PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK-CANCER

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of magnetic resonance (MR) imagin g with dextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide in the differentiat ion of metastatic and benign nodes in patients with head and neck canc er. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging was performed before and after i ntravenous administration of iron oxide in 12 patients. Ninety-one pat hologically proved nodes were visually analyzed, and 66 lymph nodes we re quantitatively analyzed by measuring signal intensity in visually s elected regions of interest. RESULTS: Forty of 42 histologically prove d metastatic nodes and 41 of 49 benign nodes were detected, yielding 9 5% sensitivity and 84% specificity. The signal intensity ratio of beni gn nodes was substantially lower than that of metastatic nodes, indica ting better differentiation of metastatic and benign nodes. Furthermor e, 13 of 14 normal-sized nodes were detected. CONCLUSION: MR imaging w ith iron oxide can enable specific differentiation of metastatic and b enign nodes in patients with head and neck cancer. This agent may pote ntially enhance the detection of metastatic lymph nodes and deserves f urther investigation.