Magnetic resonance imaging of swallowing-related structures in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving IMRT: Longitudinal dose-response characterization of quantitative signal kinetics.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We aim to characterize serial (i.e., acute and late) MRI signal intensity (SI) changes in dysphagia-associated structures as a function of radiotherapy (RT) in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively extracted data on 72 patients with stage III-IV NPC treated with intensity-modulated RT (IMRT). The mean T1- and T2-weighted MRI SIs were recorded for the superior pharyngeal constrictor (SPC) and soft palate (SP) at baseline, early-after IMRT, and last follow up, with normalization to structures receiving <5 Gy.

Results

All structures had a significant increase in T2 SIs early after treatment, irrespective of the mean dose given. At last follow-up, the increase in T2 SI subsided completely for SPC and partially for SP. Th

SUBMITTER: Messer JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4794348 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature