Page 156

5. lay-out phd DEFINITIEF_digitaal2

Anatomical evaluation of the internal mammary vessels based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) A single radiologist independently considered all MRIs for inclusion. A total of 125 MRIs were excluded (table 9.1). Table 9.1 Exclusion criteria MRI. During image analysis an additional 36 MRIs were excluded because the internal mammary artery and vein(s) were inadequately depicted, resulting in 133 patients whose MRIs were included. MR images of the chest wall of one hundred and thirty-three women were evaluated. Images were acquired on a Philips 1.5 Tesla Intera MRI scanner (Philips Healthcare, Best, the Netherlands) using a dedicated 16 channel breast coil. Measurements were performed on a three dimensional, T2 weighted turbo spin echo sequence, which is part of our standard MR mammography proto- col. Imaging parameters were: TR 2000 ms, TE 205 ms, slice thickness 1 mm, field-of-view 280x338, reconstructed matrix 352, resulting in a reconstructed in-plane resolution of 0.97x0.97 mm. Two independent and equally experienced clinical physicians reviewed the MRI scans blinded. They scored three different outcomes. First, the Schwabegger classification was evaluated: it provides four different types of anatomical variation of the internal mammary artery and vein (figure 9.1). We added another fifth classification for all those anatomical variations not included in the Schwabegger classification. Second, the intercostal space between ribs two, three and four was measured with a line measurement technique just above the artery (figure 9.2). 154


5. lay-out phd DEFINITIEF_digitaal2
To see the actual publication please follow the link above