Indications for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the context of lung cancer diagnosis and follow-up
| Role in diagnosis and staging | Role in follow-up |
| Determination of tumour invasion in the chest wall and the mediastinal structures | Monitoring of response to treatment |
| Differentiation between solid and vascular hilar masses | N- and M-stage evaluation, e.g. screening for brain, vertebral/spine metastases |
| Assessment of tumour cellularity | Assessment of diaphragmatic abnormalities during treatment |
| Characterisation of different subtypes | Assessment of distant metastatic disease (whole-body MRI) |
| N- and M-stage evaluation, e.g. screening for brain, vertebral/spine metastasis | |
| Assessment of distant metastatic disease (whole-body MRI) | |
| Assessment of diaphragmatic abnormalities | |
| Differentiation of lung cancer from progressive massive fibrosis, tuberculomas, obstructive pneumonia and surrounding post-obstructive atelectasis |