Abstract
BackgroundRecent advance in tissue characterization with parametric mapping imaging has the potential to be a novel biomarker for histopathologic correlation with thymic epithelial tumors (TETs). The purpose of our study is to evaluate MRI T1 mapping with the calculation of extracellular volume (ECV) fraction for histologic correlation with thymic epithelial tumor based on lymphocyte abundance.MethodsA retrospective study including 31 consecutive patients (14 men and 17 women, median age, 56 years; interquartile range, 12 years) with TETs was performed. The T1 values and ECV were assessed by using quantitative MRI mapping techniques. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to assess discrimination between different types of TETs based on lymphocyte abundance.ResultsExtracellular volume was significantly higher in TETs with sparse lymphocyte, including type A, type B3, and thymic carcinoma, compared with those with abundant lymphocyte, including type B1, B2, and AB thymomas (42.5% vs 26.9%, respectively; p < 0.001). Extracellular volume was significantly higher in thymic carcinoma compared with low grade and high grade thymomas (48.6% vs 31.1% vs 27.6%, respectively; p = 0.002).ConclusionsT1 mapping with the calculation of extracellular volume (ECV) fraction correlate with the WHO histologic classification of thymic epithelial tumor based on lymphocyte abundance.
Highlights
Tainan, Taiwan 4Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, No.138, Sheng-Li Road, Tainan 704, TaiwanFull list of author information is available at the end of the articleThymic epithelial tumors (TETs), including thymoma and thymic carcinoma, show a broad spectrum of histologic features and oncologic behavior
Type AB, B1, and B2 thymomas show an abundance of immature lymphocytes (“thymocytes”) either diffusely or focally [3]
The clinical outcomes of TETs have been reported to associate with the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, where type A, AB, and B1 thymomas have better prognosis than type B2, B3 thymomas and thymic carcinoma [2]
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) histologic consensus classification, Chang et al Cancer Imaging (2020) 20:71 proposed in 1999 and revised in 2004, is the currently advocated classification It represents both the clinical and the functional characters of TETs and contributes to the clinical assessment and treatment of the patients [1, 2]. The purpose of our study is to evaluate MRI T1 mapping with the calculation of extracellular volume (ECV) fraction for histologic correlation with thymic epithelial tumor based on lymphocyte abundance. Results: Extracellular volume was significantly higher in TETs with sparse lymphocyte, including type A, type B3, and thymic carcinoma, compared with those with abundant lymphocyte, including type B1, B2, and AB thymomas (42.5% vs 26.9%, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusions: T1 mapping with the calculation of extracellular volume (ECV) fraction correlate with the WHO histologic classification of thymic epithelial tumor based on lymphocyte abundance
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