Dynamic MR imaging and early-phase helical CT for detecting small intrahepatic metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
We performed a study to evaluate the sensitivities of multislice dynamic MR imaging and early-phase helical CT as noninvasive methods for detecting small intrahepatic metastases of hepatocellular carcinomas.


METHODS
Dynamic and spin-echo MR imaging and early- and delayed-phase helical CT of the liver were performed for patients with multiple hepatocellular carcinomas before transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. Forty-nine patients had 242 intrahepatic metastases less than 3 cm in diameter. Using iodized-oil CT after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization as a gold standard, the sensitivity of MR imaging for detecting intrahepatic metastases was compared with that of CT.


RESULTS
Of the 242 nodules, 225 were diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinomas by iodized-oil CT. Of these, dynamic MR imaging and early-phase CT were significantly superior to those of spin-echo MR imaging (p < .0001) and delayed phase CT (p < .0001) for tumors less than 1 cm in diameter.


CONCLUSIONS
Dynamic MR imaging and early-phase CT of the liver are the most sensitive noninvasive means of detecting small intrahepatic metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma before and after treatment.
Oi
H
H
Department of Radiology, NTT Osaka Teishin Hospital, Japan.
Murakami
T
T
Kim
T
T
Matsushita
M
M
Kishimoto
H
H
Nakamura
H
H
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007459:Iodized Oil; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D015251:Epirubicin; D007459:Iodized Oil; D004317:Doxorubicin