Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced CT and MRI for Pulmonary Nodule Assessment

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to review advanced imaging of pulmonary nodules, including pathologic and pharmacokinetic background, conventional contrast-enhanced CT and MRI assessment, dynamic contrast-enhanced CT and MRI techniques, and dual-source and area-detector CT systems for pulmonary nodule evaluation. CONCLUSION. Clinicians need to understand the underlying principles and pathologic and pharmacokinetic backgrounds of contrast-enhanced CT and MRI to further improve diagnostic performance. With adjustments in image acquisition and postprocessing, contrastenhanced CT and MRI, especially the dynamic versions, can have enhanced clinical application for pulmonary nodules and expanded clinical relevance for other thoracic diseases.