Methods: This prospective study included a total of 37 suspected cases (21 males, 16 females; mean age 63.3 years; range 28 to 81 years) with respect to whether or not invasion in esophageal masses between January 2012 and February 2016. Initially, conventional magnetic resonance imaging (T1-weighted, T2-weighted, short tau inversion recovery), lesion characteristics and invasion areas were evaluated in all cases. The cases with invasion were re-evaluated according to dynamic moving features of the lesion and adjacent tissue by cine-magnetic resonance imaging in three planes. The relative motion of the mass with adjacent tissues, fatty planes, and invasion status were evaluated according to size and structure.

Results: The presence of invasion was detected by conventional magnetic resonance imaging in all of the cases. Invasion was not detected in 28 of 37 cases, while it was observed in nine cases by cine-magnetic resonance imaging. Twenty of 28 non-invasion cases were operated and results were compatible with the cine-magnetic resonance imaging results. The remaining eight cases were not operated due to severe comorbidities and the refusal of operation.

Conclusion: Cine-magnetic resonance imaging may contribute to detect invasion accurately in esophagus cancer which is adjacent to moving tissues such as heart and main vascular structures. Based on our study results, cine-magnetic resonance imaging appears to be superior to conventional magnetic resonance imaging.