title: MR imaging of the liver: breath-hold T1-weighted MP-GRE compared with conventional T2-weighted SE imaging--lesion detection, localization, and characterization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare breath-hold T1-weighted magnetization-prepared gradient-echo (MP-GRE) imaging with conventional T2-weighted spin-echo (SE) imaging in evaluation of focal liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Images of 68 patients evaluated for focal liver disease were reviewed. Five sets of images were analyzed: axial, sagittal, and coronal breath-hold T1-weighted MP-GRE images, axial T2-weighted SE images, and a compilation of axial, sagittal, and coronal (three-plane) T1-weighted MP-GRE images. Lesion signal intensity (SI) and signal difference-to-noise (SD/N) ratios were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lesions were detected, localized, and characterize more accurately (P < .05-.001) and with greater confidence on three-plane T1-weighted MP-GRE images than on almost all single-plane images. Mean SI ratios of nonsolid and solid lesions on MP-GRE and SE images were significantly different at all lesion sizes; mean SD/N ratio was significantly different only for large lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lesion detection, localization, and characterization can be accurately and confidently performed with three-plane T1-weighted MP-GRE breath-hold imaging, potentially obviating conventional T2-weighted SE imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: de Lange
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mugler
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bosworth
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: DeAngelis
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Hurt
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Berr
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Merickel
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity