Ability of three-dimensional 3-Tesla ultrashort echo time magnetic resonance imaging to display the morphological characteristics of pulmonary nodules: a sensitivity analysis

BACKGROUND: Radiation-free lung cancer screening will reduce/eliminate radiation exposure in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with lung cancer. METHODS: This was a prospective study. The participants were recruited using convenience sampling. A total of 36 patients with pulmonary nodules [patients with single or multiple pulmonary nodules >4 and <30 mm on their pulmonary computed tomography (CT) scans] who were admitted to Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital’s Xiamen branch were enrolled; they underwent a CT scan and a free-breathing ultrashort time-of-echo (UTE) sequence scan using a 3-Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The CT examinations were regarded as the reference standard. Patients had an interval time of <3 days between their CT and MRI examinations. Two reviewers with more than 10 years’ experience in the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules identified the numbers and morphological features of the pulmonary nodules. RESULTS: Among the 36 patients, 46 nodules were detected on CT images, 45 of which were also detected on UTE images (a detection rate of 97.6%). The detection rate for lobulation using UTE–MRI was 96.9%; however, the difference compared with the rate for the CT images was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In terms of confounding lesions (confounding lesions indicate that the patient has malignant tumours, benign nodules or inoperable nodules), the UTE–MRI method had a higher detection rate than the CT method, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). The probability of malignant lesions was found to be higher in confounding lesions than in homogeneous lesions. In terms of pleural traction, the UTE–MRI method demonstrated a higher detection rate (120%) than the CT method, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In terms of spiculation, the UTE–MRI method demonstrated a lower detection rate (81.8%) than the CT method, although the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, 3-T UTE–MRI imaging has a high detection rate for pulmonary nodules >4 mm and is similar to that of conventional CT imaging. The method can be used for radiation-free lung cancer screening and follow-up examinations to reduce/eliminate both repeat CT examinations and radiation damage.