Differentiating between malignant and benign solid solitary pulmonary lesions: are intravoxel incoherent motion and diffusion kurtosis imaging superior to conventional diffusion-weighted imaging?

OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively compare the diagnostic values of various diffusion parameters obtained from mono- and biexponential diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) models and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in differentiating between benign and malignant solitary pulmonary lesions (SPLs). METHODS: Multiple b-value DWIs and DKIs were performed in 89 patients with SPL by using a 3-T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging unit. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of various b-value sets, true diffusivity (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f), apparent diffusional kurtosis (Kapp), and kurtosis-corrected diffusion coefficient (Dapp) were calculated and compared between the malignant and benign groups using a Mann-Whitney U test. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis was performed for all parameters. RESULT: The ADC(0, 150) values of malignant tumors were lower than those of the benign group (p = 0.01). The ADC(0, 300), ADC(0, 500), ADC(0, 600), ADC(0, 800), ADC(0, 1000), ADCtotal, D, and Dapp of malignant tumors were significantly lower than those of benign lesions (all p < 0.001). D*, f, and Kapp showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups. ADCtotal showed the highest area under the curve (AUC = 0.862), followed by ADC(0, 800)(AUC = 0.844), ADC(0, 600)(AUC = 0.843), D(AUC = 0.834), ADC(0, 1000)(AUC = 0.834) and ADC(0, 500)(AUC = 0.824), Dapp(AUC = 0.796), and ADC(0, 300) (AUC = 0.773). However, the difference in diagnostic efficacy among these parameters was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) and DKI-derived parameters have similar performance compared with conventional ADC in differentiating SPLs. KEY POINTS: • Mono- and biexponential DWI and DKI are feasible for differentiating SPLs. • ADC (0, ≥500) has better performance than ADC (0, <500) in assessing SPLs. • IVIM and DKI have similar performance compared with conventional DWI in differentiating SPLs.

Shenmai Injection Improves Hypertensive Heart Failure by Inhibiting Myocardial Fibrosis via TGF-ß 1/Smad Pathway Regulation.

OBJECTIVE: To study effects of Shenmai Injection on hypertensive heart failure and its mechanism for inhibiting myocardial fibrosis. METHODS: Salt-sensitive (Dahl/SS) rats were fed with normal diet (0.3% NaCl) and the high-salt diet (8% NaCl) to observe the changes in blood pressure and heart function, as the control group and the model group. Salt-insensitive rats (SS-13BN) were fed with the high-salt diet (8% NaCl) as the negative control group. After modeling, the model rats were randomly divided into heart failure (HF) group, Shenmai Injection (SMI) group and pirfenidone (PFD) group by a random number table, with 6 rats in each group. They were given sterilized water, SMI and pirfenidone, respectively. Blood pressure, cardiac function, fibrosis and related molecular expression were detected by sphygmomanometer, echocardiogram, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson staining, immunofluorescence and qPCR analysis. RESULTS: After high-salt feeding, compared with the control and negative control group, in the model group the blood pressure increased significantly, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS) were significantly reduced, and the serum NT-proBNP concentration increased significantly (all P<0.05); furthermore, the arrangement of myocardial cells was disordered, the edema was severe, and the degree of myocardial fibrosis was also significantly increased (P<0.05); the protein and mRNA expressions of collagen type I (Col I) were up-regulated (P<0.05), and the mRNA expressions of transforming growth factor ß 1 (TGF- ß 1), Smad2 and Smad3 were significantly up-regulated (P<0.05). Compared with HF group, after intervention of Shenmai Injection, LVEF and LVFS increased, myocardial morphology was improved, collagen volume fraction decreased significantly (P<0.05), and the mRNA expressions of Col I, TGF- ß 1, Smad2 and Smad3, as well as Col I protein expression, were all significantly down-regulated (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Myocardial fibrosis is the main pathological manifestation of hypertensive heart failure, and Shenmai Injection could inhibit myocardial fibrosis and effectively improve heart failure by regulating TGF-ß 1/Smad signaling pathway.

[Measurement of plasma parameters in cluster hexagon pattern discharge by optical emission spectrum].

The cluster hexagon pattern was obtained in a dielectric barrier discharge in air/argon for the first time. Three plasma parameters, i. e. the molecular vibrational temperature, the molecular rotational temperature and the average electron energy of individual cluster in cluster hexagon pattern discharge, were studied by changing the air content. The molecular vibrational temperature and the molecular rotational temperature were calculated using the second positive band system of nitrogen molecules (C 3IIu --> B 3IIg) and the first negative band system of nitrogen molecular ions (B 2Sigma(u)+ --> Chi2 Sigma(g)+). The relative intensities of the first negative system of nitrogen molecular ions (391. 4 nm) and nitrogen molecules emission spectrum line (337.1 nm) were analyzed for studying the variations of the electron energy. It was found that the three plasma parameters of individual cluster in cluster hexagon pattern increase with air content increasing from 16% to 24%.

[Study on spectral line profile of different types of filaments in dielectric barrier discharge].

The variations of width and shifts of Ar I (2P2 --> 1S(5)) spectral line emitted from two types of filaments, whose diameters and states are different, in argon/air dielectric barrier discharge with the change in air content were researched for the first time. In order to measure the wavelength shift, Ar I (2P2 --> 1S(5)) spectral line emitted from argon discharge at pressure of 10 Pa was used as a reference line. Regular arrangements of static wide filaments (static big dots) and moving thin filaments (reciprocating moving small dots whose traces are lines) were obtained in discharge at atmospheric pressure when the air content was in the range of 0.4%-4%. The variations of width and shifts of Ar I (2P2 --> 1S(5)) spectral line emitted from the big and small dots with the change in air content were measured respectively. It was found that they all increase with the increasing in air content. The width and shift of small dot are bigger than those of the big dot at any air content. The difference between the former and the latter decreases with the increase in air content firstly and remains basically unchanged after the air content reaches up to 1%.

Long non-coding RNA VPS9D1-AS1 enhances proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in endometrial cancer via miR-377-3p/SGK1.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a kind of gynecologic malignancy with a rising incidence rate. This study aimed to explore the role of VPS9D1 antisense RNA1 (VPS9D1-AS1) in EC. The expression of VPS9D1-AS1, microRNA (miR)-377-3p, and serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) was detected by Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were determined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-Ethynyl-2'-Deoxyuridine (EdU) transwell, and western bolt. VPS9D1-AS1 was predicted to sponge miR-377-3p via Starbase, and verified by luciferase reporter, RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pull-down experiments. The clinical characteristics of VPS9D1-AS1, miR-377-3p, and SGK1 were analyzed. The role of VPS9D1-AS1 on EC tumorigenesis was assessed in xenografted nude mice. VPS9D1-AS1 was upregulated in EC cells and tissues. Interference of VPS9D1-AS1 inhibited growth, invasion, and EMT of EC cells. Mechanically, VPS9D1-AS1 was a molecular sponge of miR-377-3p, and overexpression of miR-377-3p reversed VPS9D1-AS1-induced EC cells proliferation, invasion, and EMT. Moreover, SGK1 was confirmed to bind with miR-377-3p. Furthermore, overexpression of SGK1 alleviated sh-VPS9D1-AS1-caused effects on EC cells. High level of VPS9D1-AS1 and SGK1, or low miR-377-3p expression predicted a poor prognosis. The expression of the three genes was correlated with lymph node metastasis, pathological stage, and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, but not associated with age, ER, and PR expression. Interestingly, knockdown of VPS9D1-AS1 suppressed EC tumor growth in mice. VPS9D1-AS1 promoted cell invasion, proliferation, and EMT via modulating miR-377-3p/SGK1 axis, which provided new options for therapeutic strategies of EC.

Association of FAS and FAS ligand polymorphisms with the susceptibility and severity of lumbar disc degeneration in Chinese Han population.

CONTEXT: Apoptosis is involved in the mechanism of lumbar disc degeneration (LDD). OBJECTIVE: We aim to determine whether the polymorphisms of FAS and FASL are associated with the presence and severity of LDD. METHODS: A total of 348 patients with LDD and 215 healthy controls were genotyped. RESULTS: Patients with LDD showed higher frequency of-1377GA and AA, as well as-844CT and TT genotypes than normal controls. These genotypes were found to be associated with the risk of higher grades of LDD. CONCLUSION: The polymorphisms of FAS and FASL may be associated with the presence and severity of LDD.

[Measurement of plasma parameters in slot microplasma by optical emission spectrum].

Slot microplasma was generated in argon and air mixture by using dielectric barrier discharge device with two parallel water electrodes. The molecular vibrational temperature, molecular rotational temperature and average electron energy of the slot plasma were studied by optical emission spectrum. The molecular vibrational temperature was calculated using the second positive system of nitrogen molecules ( C3 pi(u) --> B3 pi(g)). The molecular rotational temperature was calculated using the first negative system of nitrogen molecular ions ( B 2sigma(u)+ --> X sigma(g)+). The relative intensities of the first negative system of nitrogen molecular ions (391.4 nm) and nitrogen molecules in the excitation level (337.1 nm) emission spectrum line were measured for studying the variations of electron energy. It was found that the molecular vibrational temperature, molecular rotational temperature and average electron energy decrease with gas pressure increasing.

Relationship between the benefits of paraspinal mapping and diffusion tensor imaging and the increase of decompression levels determined by conventional magnetic resonance imaging in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

BACKGROUND: In lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), at most times, several levels are impaired and selecting the correct level remains a common problem for surgeons, as surgery remains invasive, and extended laminectomy may lead to secondary surgical complications. Therefore, helping to select the correct level may be useful for surgeons. The use of diffuse tensor imaging (DTI) and paraspinal mapping (PM) in addition to conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be helpful (Chen et al., J Orthop Surg Res 11:47, 2016). However, with decompression levels determined by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) increasing, whether the benefits of reducing decompression level of conventional MRI + (DTI or PM) will be more obvious is unknown. METHODS: Reduced surgical levels that were different between levels determined by conventional MRI + (DTI or PM) and conventional MRI + neurogenic examination (NE) between groups were compared. Treatment outcome measures were performed at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The reduced levels of three groups showed no statistically significant differences between each other except for two levels and four levels (two levels/three levels, p = 0.085; two levels/four levels, p = 0.039; three levels/ four levels, p = 0.506, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: With surgical levels determined by conventional MRI increasing, the benefits of DTI and PM will be uncertainly more obvious.

Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted MR imaging in assessing and characterizing solitary pulmonary lesions.

This study aimed to investigate the potential of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted MR imaging in assessing solitary pulmonary lesions (SPLs). Sixty-two patients with pathologically confirmed SPLs, including 51 and 11 cases of malignant and benign lesions, respectively, were assessed. Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) with 13 b values was used to derive apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and IVIM parameters, including true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f). Our results showed that, there was an excellent inter-observer agreement on the measurements of D and ADC between observers (inter-class correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.902 and 0.884, respectively). Meanwhile, f and D* showed good and substantial reproducibility (ICC = 0.787 and 0.623, respectively). D and ADC of malignant lesions were significantly lower than those of benign lesions (both P ≤ 0.001), while similar values were obtained in both groups for D* and f (both P > 0.05). In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, D showed the highest area under curve (AUC) for distinguishing malignant from benign lesions, followed by ADC. Accompanying signs of SPLs have specific features on IVIM maps. In conclusion, IVIM provides functional information in characterizing SPLs which is helpful to differential diagnosis. D and ADC have a significantly higher diagnostic value than f and D*.

Proteomic identification of the oncoprotein STAT3 as a target of a novel Skp1 inhibitor.

The S phase kinase-associated protein 1 (Skp1), an adaptor protein of the Skp1-Cul1-F-box protein complex, binds the ubiquitin E3 ligase Skp2 and is critical to its biological functions. Targeting of Skp1 by a small compound 6-O-angeloylplenolin (6-OAP) results in dissociation and degradation of Skp2 and mitotic arrest of lung cancer cells. Here, by using a proteome microarray containing 16,368 proteins and a biotinylated 6-OAP, we identified 99 proteins that could bind 6-OAP, with Skp1 and STAT3 sitting at the central position of the 6-OAP interactome. 6-OAP formed hydrogen bonds with Ser611/Ser613/Arg609 at the SH2 domain of STAT3 and inhibited the constitutive and interleukin-6-induced phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3), leading to inhibitory effects on lung cancer cells and suppression of Skp2 transcription. STAT3 was overexpressed in tumor samples compared to counterpart normal lung tissues and was inversely associated with prognosis of the patients. 6-OAP inhibited tumor growth in SCID mice intravenously injected with lung cancer cells, and downregulated both STAT3 and Skp2 in tumor samples. Given that 6-OAP is a Skp1 inhibitor, our data suggest that this compound may target Skp1 and STAT3 to suppress Skp2, augmenting its anti-lung cancer activity.

Changes in lumbosacral spinal nerve roots on diffusion tensor imaging in spinal stenosis.

Lumbosacral degenerative disc disease is a common cause of lower back and leg pain. Conventional T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) scans are commonly used to image spinal cord degeneration. However, these modalities are unable to image the entire lumbosacral spinal nerve roots. Thus, in the present study, we assessed the potential of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for quantitative assessment of compressed lumbosacral spinal nerve roots. Subjects were 20 young healthy volunteers and 31 patients with lumbosacral stenosis. T2WI showed that the residual dural sac area was less than two-thirds that of the corresponding normal area in patients from L3 to S1 stenosis. On T1WI and T2WI, 74 lumbosacral spinal nerve roots from 31 patients showed compression changes. DTI showed thinning and distortion in 36 lumbosacral spinal nerve roots (49%) and abruption in 17 lumbosacral spinal nerve roots (23%). Moreover, fractional anisotropy values were reduced in the lumbosacral spinal nerve roots of patients with lumbosacral stenosis. These findings suggest that DTI can objectively and quantitatively evaluate the severity of lumbosacral spinal nerve root compression.

Tobacco smoke induces production of chemokine CCL20 to promote lung cancer.

Tobacco kills nearly 6 million people each year, and 90% of the annual 1.59 million lung cancer deaths worldwide are caused by cigarette smoke. Clinically, a long latency is required for individuals to develop lung cancer since they were first exposed to smoking. In this study, we aimed to identify clinical relevant inflammatory factors that are critical for carcinogenesis by treating normal human lung epithelial cells with tobacco carcinogen nicotine-derived nitrosaminoketone (NNK) for a long period (60 days) and systematic screening in 84 cytokines/chemokines. We found that a chemokine CCL20 was significantly up-regulated by NNK, and in 78/173 (45.1%) patients the expression of CCL20 was higher in tumor samples than their adjacent normal lung tissues. Interestingly, CCL20 was up-regulated in 48/92 (52.2%) smoker and 29/78 (37.2%) nonsmoker patients (p = 0.05), and high CCL20 was associated with poor prognosis. NNK induced the production of CCL20, which promoted lung cancer cell proliferation and migration. In addition, an anti-inflammation drug, dexamethasone, inhibited NNK-induced CCL20 production and suppressed lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. These results indicate that CCL20 is crucial for tobacco smoke-caused lung cancer, and anti-CCL20 could be a rational approach to fight against this deadly disease.

Skp1 in lung cancer: clinical significance and therapeutic efficacy of its small molecule inhibitors.

Skp1 is an essential adaptor protein of the Skp1-Cul1-F-box protein complex and is able to stabilize the conformation of some ubiquitin E3 ligases. However, the role Skp1 plays during tumorigenesis remains unclear and Skp1-targeting agent is lacking. Here we showed that Skp1 was overexpressed in 36/64 (56.3%) of non-small cell lung cancers, and elevated Skp1 was associated with poor prognosis. By structure-based high-throughput virtual screening, we found some Skp1-targeting molecules including a natural compound 6-O-angeloylplenolin (6-OAP). 6-OAP bound Skp1 at sites critical to Skp1-Skp2 interaction, leading to dissociation and proteolysis of oncogenic E3 ligases NIPA, Skp2, and ß-TRCP, and accumulation of their substrates Cyclin B1, P27 and E-Cadherin. 6-OAP induced prometaphase arrest and exerted potent anti-lung cancer activity in two murine models and showed low adverse effect. These results indicate that Skp1 is critical to lung cancer pathogenesis, and Skp1 inhibitor inactivates crucial oncogenic E3 ligases and exhibits significant therapeutic potentials.

[Comparison of serum biochemistry between specific pathogen-free and conventional aged Wistar rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences in serum biochemistry between specific pathogen-free (SPF) and conventional aged Wistar rats. METHODS: Coulter-JT Analyzer was used to measure the values of serum biochemistry in the two grades of rats. RESULTS: The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total protein (TP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, Fe, P, glucose, uric acid (UA), and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were very significantly different between male and female Wistar rats of either conventional or SPF grade (P<0.01), which also had significant difference in albumin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) (P<0.05). Between male aged Wistar rats of the two grades, the differences of TP, albumin, albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio, TC, TG, blood glucose, ApoA1, ApoB, UA, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), LDL, and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) were very significant (P<0.01), with also significant differences in ALT, Fe, Mg (P<0.05). Between the female rats of the two grades, the serum levels of ALT, TP, albumin, A/G ratio, ALP, TG, BUN, creatinine, Fe, ApoA1, APOB, HDL, LDL, and bile acids were very significantly different (P<0.01), and Mg was significantly different (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Different microbiological profiles affect serum biochemistry of aged Wistar rats.

Imaging of olfactory bulb and gray matter volumes in brain areas associated with olfactory function in patients with Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy.

UNLABELLED: We explored if magnetic resonance imaging sequences might aid in the clinical differential diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). We measured the volumes of the olfactory bulb, the olfactory tract, and olfaction-associated cortical gray matter in 20 IPD patients, 14 MSA patients, and 12 normal subjects, using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging sequences in combination with voxel-based statistical analysis. We found that, compared to normal subjects and MSA patients, the volumes of the olfactory bulb and tract were significantly reduced in IPD patients. The gray matter volume of IPD patients decreased in the following order: the olfactory area to the right of the piriform cortex, the right amygdala, the left entorhinal cortex, and the left occipital lobe. Further, the total olfactory bulb volume of IPD patients was associated with the duration of disease. The entorhinal cortical gray matter volume was negatively associated with the UPDRS III score. CONCLUSION: Structural volumes measured by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging may potentially be used for differential diagnosis of IPD from MSA.

A facile light-emitting-diode induced fluorescence detector coupled to an integrated microfluidic device for microchip electrophoresis.

In this paper, a compact and inexpensive light emitting diode induced fluorescence (LED-IF) detector with simplified optical configuration was developed and assembled in an integrated microfluidic device for microscale electrophoresis. The facile detector mainly consisted of an LED, a focusing pinhole, an emission filter and a photodiode, and was encapsulated in the upper layer of an aluminum alloy device with two layers. At the bottom layer, integrated circuit (IC) was assembled to manipulate the voltage for sample injection and separation, LED emission and signal amplifying. A high-power LED with fan-shaped heat sink was used as excitation source. The excitation light was focused by a 1.1mm diameter pinhole fabricated in a thin piece of silver foil, and the obtained sensitivity was about 3 times as high as that using electrode plate. Other important parameters including LED driven current, fluorescence collection angle and detection distance have also been investigated. Under optimal conditions, considerable high-response of 0.09 fmol and 0.18 fmol mass detection limits at 0.37 nL injection volume for sodium fluorescein (SF) and FITC was achieved, respectively. This device has been successfully employed to separate penicillamine (PA) enantiomers. Due to such significant features as low-cost, integration, miniaturization, and ease of commercialization, the presented microfluidic device may hold great promise for clinical diagnostics and bioanalytical applications.

An automated fluid-transport device for a microfluidic system.

An automated fluid-transport device for a chip-based capillary electrophoresis system has been developed. The device mainly consists of six peristaltic micropumps, two vacuum micropumps, microvalves, multi-way joints, titanium tubes, and a macro-to-micro connector. Various solutions used for the cleaning and activation of chip channels, and electrophoresis separation, are allowed to automatically transport to chip reservoirs by the electric control module. The performance of the whole system was characterized by the analysis of fluorescein sodium using chip electrophoresis with LED-induced fluorescence detection. The peak-height variation (RSD) was 3.8% in six cycles of analyses. Additionally, compared with conventional manual operation, the developed device can spare 60% time for chip pretreatment. This microdevice offers high-efficiency pretreatment for microchips, thereby resulting in a remarkable improvement of analytical capacity for batch samples.

[MRI findings of uterine cervical cancer and value of MRI in preoperative staging].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosis and preoperative staging of uterine cervical cancer. METHODS: MRI findings and staging in 72 patients with cervical carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed, and the size, location, signal intensity and invasion of the tumor were observed. MRI sequence included SE T1WI, (TSE)T2WI, T2WI/SPIR and contrast-enhanced T1WI. RESULTS: MRI identified uterus cervical cancer in all cases with the exception of only 1 case of IA stage. The tumor was represented by hypointensity and isointensity on T1WI, heterogeneous and homogeneous hyperintensity on T2WI, mildly heterogeneous enhancement after bolus intravenous GD-DTPA injection. MRI had an accuracy of 86% in localization of the tumor, but its accuracy in clinical staging was only 64% (chi2=6.453, P<0.05). The tumor volume measured by MRI was similar with that by pathological measurement (1.94-/+1.15 vs 1.94-/+1.11, P>0.05). CONCLUSION: MRI can accurately describe the size and invasion of uterine cervical cancer, especially useful in detecting parametrial invasion, but for diagnosis of IA uterine cervical cancer, MRI findings are not sufficient without considerations of clinical findings and cellular examination.

[MRI diagnosis of tumor involving brachial plexus].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The incidence rate of tumor involving brachial plexus was rare and its clinical diagnosis is difficult. Several foreign authors have reported that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the best imaging diagnosis method. Howev, there was little report about this in China. This study was designed to investigate the diagnostic value of MRI in tumor involving brachial plexus. METHODS: The MRI manifestations in 13 patients with tumor involving brachial plexus (including 3 neurofibromatosis, 4 Pancoast's tumor, 6 metastatic tumor; 8 confirmed pathologically, 2 confirmed by biopsy, 3 neurofibromatosis confirmed clinically) were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: In 3 patients with neurofibromatosis, 2 cases showed growing along brachial plexus and represented spindle-shape; 1 cases showed growing crushing and encircling brachial plexus and represented ball-shape. There were middle or poor even signals on T1WI, and overt high and high-low mixed signals on T2WI (intense with even or uneven after enhancement). All 4 cases of Pancoast's tumor infiltrated brachial plexus. In 6 cases of metastatic tumor, 5 cases represented that localized bump encircled and infiltrated brachial plexus. 1 case represented that the tumor tissue effusively infiltrate brachial plexus. No special manifestation was shown on MRI of Pancoast's tumor and metastatic tumor. There were the similar or lower signals on T1WI, and high signals on T2WI (intense with even or uneven after enhancement). CONCLUSION: The coronal position of T1WI could clearly represent the relationship between brachial plexus and tumor, the involving extent of brachial plexus. Therefore, MRI is a effective imaging method for diagnosis of primary or secondary tumor involving brachial plexus.