J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 2017; 78(03): 256-265
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1597824
Original Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Added Value of Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis and Posttreatment Evaluation of Skull Base Chordomas

Ezgi Guler
1   Department of Radiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
,
Burce Ozgen
1   Department of Radiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
,
Melike Mut
2   Department of Neurosurgery, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
,
Figen Soylemezoglu
3   Department of Pathology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
,
Kader Karli Oguz
1   Department of Radiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

25 May 2016

20 November 2016

Publication Date:
23 January 2017 (online)

Abstract

Objectives To determine the use of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the pre- and posttreatment evaluation of skull base chordomas.

Design Retrospective study.

Setting Tertiary care university hospital.

Participants In total, 17 patients with histopathological diagnosis of chordoma who had magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and DWI were evaluated. Of them, 13 patients had posttreatment MR imaging including DWI.

Main Outcome Measures Three apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were obtained from tumor, and an ADC value was measured from pons for the purpose of normalization. ADC values of the subtypes of chordomas (typical and chondroid chordomas) were compared.

Results Ten (59%) masses had increased signal on trace DWI at pretreatment evaluation. The mean ADCentire tumor/ADCpons was calculated as 1.55 ± 0.44. The mean ADCentire tumor values of typical and chondroid chordomas were 1.26 ± 0.29 × 10−3 mm2/s and 0.99 ± 0.46 × 10−3 mm2/s, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between ADC values of the subtypes (p > 0.05). For posttreatment evaluation, DWI enabled detection of residual tumor in the majority (85%) of cases.

Conclusions DWI is useful in diagnosis and posttreatment evaluation of skull base chordomas. However, ADC values in our series did not distinguish the subtypes of chordomas.

 
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