Abstract
Diagnostic imaging techniques for mediastinal tumors include plain chest radiography, chest tomography, CT, andiography, MRI and radioisotope. When mediastinal diseases are suspected on chest radiographs, we take CT and MRI of our patients and make a final diagnosis. MRI appears particularly suitable for the evaluation of the mediastinum because of the high contrast resolution attainable for soft tissue, multiplane and multisequence imaging. In addition, MRI requires no intravascular contrast medium for distinct delineation of masses from mediastinal vessels.
While MRI and CT provide essentially identical information in most patients, we think that CT should be used as the primary modality and MRI reserved for equivocal or difficult cases in which precise definition of the anatomic relationships is required to guide surgery. Tissue differentiation is higher with MRI than with CT, so MRI can be manupulated to provide unique diagnostic information and thus play a useful adjunct role in problem solving.
