Liver tumors: comparison of MR imaging with Gd-EOB-DTPA and Gd-DTPA.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the usefulness of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) and gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) in the diagnosis of focal liver lesions.


METHODS
Thirty-one patients with focal liver lesions underwent T2- and T1-weighted spin-echo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and fast low-angle shot two-dimensional MR imaging before, during, and after intravenous administration of three different doses of Gd-EOB-DTPA (12.5, 25, and 50 mumol per kilogram body weight). Gd-DTPA-enhanced imaging (dose, 0.1 mmol per kilogram body weight) was performed in the same patients within 1 week of Gd-EOB-DTPA imaging.


RESULTS
During the perfusion phase (the 3 minutes after injection of contrast material), the dynamic enhancement characteristics seen after injection of 25 and 50 mumol of Gd-EOB-DTPA were similar to those seen with Gd-DTPA. At the lowest dose of Gd-EOB-DTPA (12.5 mumol), the dynamic enhancement characteristics were not comparable to those seen with Gd-DTPA. During the hepatobiliary phase (1.5 minutes to 4 hours after injection), Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced images yielded a dose-independent, statistically significant improvement in the detection rate of additional metastases, hepatocellular carcinomas, and hemangiomas compared with unenhanced and Gd-DTPA-enhanced images (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging enables improved detection of hepatic lesions over Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging while providing comparable differential diagnostic information.
Vogl
T J
TJ
Department of Radiology, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Rudolf Virchow Hospital, Germany.
Kümmel
S
S
Hammerstingl
R
R
Schellenbeck
M
M
Schumacher
G
G
Balzer
T
T
Schwarz
W
W
Müller
P K
PK
Bechstein
W O
WO
Mack
M G
MG
Söllner
O
O
Felix
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C073590:gadolinium ethoxybenzyl DTPA; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA