MR imaging in applying to radiation therapy for maxillary cancer

MR imaging was performed in 8 patients with maxillary cancer before and after trimodal combined therapy including radiation planning and follow-up studies. The tumor showed isointensity or slightly-increased intensity, compared with the muscles on T1 weighted images and fatty tissues on T2 weighted images. The sites of inflammation were clearly distinguished from the tumor, showing higher intensity on T2 weighted images. In superimposing radiation field and isodose curves on MR images, much better visual recognition was shown in the irradiated area. In the period during follow-up, MR imaging deserves a diagnostic tool to check the foci of the disease because of superiority in soft tissue characterization. (author)