Predictive MRI Metrics for Tumor Aggressiveness in Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Overview

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a diagnostic technique that takes pictures of organs of the body. It uses magnetic fields and radio waves that cannot be felt. Perfusion MRI uses faster imaging. It also includes a contrast material that is given by vein. This makes specific organs, blood vessels, or tumors easier to see. Diffusion MRI lets us measure the motion of water in the tumor. Perfusion and diffusion MRI give extra information which is not available with the regular MRI. A regular MRI only shows pictures of the tumor. Thyroid MRI scans are not part of the current standard of care. The purpose of this study is to see if new MRI methods can give us more information about the tumor.

The aim of this pilot study clinical trial is to provide MRI biomarkers as quantitative (surrogate) biomarkers of aggressiveness in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) including PMCs and to lay out the scientific basis for their translation into patient management. In this study we will perform specially designed diffusion weighted MRI (DW-MRI) and dynamic contrast agent MRI (DCE-MRI) protocols in the PTC patients. DW-MRI allows for quantifying water diffusion which has been shown to be related to tumor cellularity (29). Particularly, appropriate modeling with DW-MRI data acquired at multiple b values will enable quantifying tumor cellularity and vascularity simultaneously (30-32). DCE-MRI with proper compartmental modeling will yield metrics related to tumor-vessel permeability, tumor perfusion, and extracellular-extravascular volume fraction (33, 34). These facts provide the potential of DW-MRI and DCE-MRI metrics as quantitative imaging biomarkers of tumor aggressiveness in PTCs. The DW-MRI and DCE-MRI may ultimately help in personalized management approach, in which imaging biomarkers may be used to recommend either immediate surgery or active surveillance for PTC patients.

Conditions