Superior mediastinal and neck lymphatic mapping in mid- and lower-thoracic esophageal cancer as defined by ferumoxides-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to detect lymphatic drainage into the superior mediastinum and neck in thoracic esophageal cancer patients using ferumoxides-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and to have this information assist in determining the appropriate extent of lymphadenectomy.

Methods: Nine male patients with T2-T3 mid- and lower-thoracic esophageal cancer with lymph node metastasis were examined. The day before surgery, ferumoxides was endoscopically injected into the submucosal layer of the peritumoral lesion. Thereafter, lymph nodes in the superior mediastinum and neck, which were shown to be ferumoxides-enhanced on MRI, were harvested and evaluated; magnetic force from all harvested lymph nodes was measured ex vivo.

Results: MRI of the superior mediastinum and neck revealed 1(median) ferumoxides-enhanced lymph nodes in eight (89%) patients, and there was laterality in the lymphatic mapping in both areas. Of the 15 lymph nodes into which drainage was detected by enhanced MRI, 12 (80%) were magnetite-positive. In six patients (67%), magnetic resonance enhanced lymph nodes corresponded completely with the ex vivo magnetite examination, and in 3 patients (33%) there was partial agreement. In 3 (60%) of the 5 patients that showed paratracheal and/or supraclavicular lymph node metastases, all of the affected nodes were detected by MRI; in one patient some of the affected nodes were detected.

Conclusion: Ferumoxides-enhanced MRI is useful for visualizing lymphatic drainage to the superior mediastinum and neck in thoracic esophageal cancer. It is an adequate procedure to form an estimate on the appropriate extent of lymphadenectomy.