Evaluation of pancreatic cancer extent using balanced turbo field echo (bTFE)

Purpose: Recent advances in MR system technology have allowed for the development of new imaging techniques. Balanced turbo field echo (bTFE) is one such example. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of bTFE for evaluating pancreatic cancer extent. Materials and Methods: 45 patients with pathologically proven pancreatic cancer were examined with bTFE. The images obtained were evaluated by the consensus of two radiologists, from the following viewpoints: tumor detection and vascular invasion, e.g., celiac axis (CA); superior mesenteric artery (SMA); portal vein (PV); and splenic artery (SA). The results of vascular evaluation were compared with those of dynamic CT. Results: All tumors were demonstrated on bTFE images, however, tumors in the pancreatic head were less clear than those in the pancreatic body. Vascular evaluation on bTFE images was in good agreement with that on dynamic CT scan. Conclusion: bTFE is a useful method for evaluating pancreatic cancer extent. Because image quality does not show overt changes in this sequence as time passes, unlike so-called dynamic study, not only are divided scans or respiration-triggered scans available, but repeated scans and multi-directional image acquisition can be performed as well.