J Korean Med Sci.  2005 Feb;20(1):121-126. 10.3346/jkms.2005.20.1.121.

Screening of Brain Metastasis with Limited Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI):Clinical Implications of Using Limited Brain MRI During Initial Staging for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

• Kim SY
• Kim JS
• Park HS
• Cho MJ
• Kim JO
• Kim JW
• Song CJ
• Lim SP
• Jung SS

• KMID: 1781738
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2005.20.1.121

Abstract

The purpose of this prospective study was to determine whether using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for early screening for brain metastases (BM) can improve quality of life, survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study group comprised 183 patients newly diagnosed with NSCLC. All patients underwent limited brain MRI and routine workups. The control group comprised 131 patients with NSCLC who underwent limited brain MRI only if they had neurologic symptoms. The incidence of BM was 20.8% (38/183) in the study group and 4.6% (6/131) in the control group. The rate of upstaging based on the MRI data was 13.5% (15/111) overall and 15.9% (11/69) in patients that had been considered initially to be resectable surgically. There was no significant difference in survival outcome between the groups. Patients who had BM alone had a greater overall survival time (49 weeks) than those who had multiple systemic metastases (27 weeks; p=0.0307). In conclusions, limited brain MRI appears to be a useful, costeffective method to screen for BM at the time of initial staging. And it may facilitate timely treatment of patients with NSCLC and improve their survival and quality of life.

Keyword

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Neoplasm Staging; Neoplasm Metastasis; Magnetic Reso-nance Imaging; Diagnosis; Radiography

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Brain Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/*secondary
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/*diagnosis/*pathology
Female
Humans
Lung Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*economics/methods
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Metastasis
Prognosis
Time Factors

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