CT and MR imaging of the liver using liver-specific contrast media. A comparative study in a tumour model.
OBJECTIVE
A new type of liposomal liver-specific contrast medium (CM) in CT was studied, and the results were compared with those obtained with Mn-DPDP, a paramagnetic hepatobiliary CM, in MR imaging. The contrasts of normal liver tissue to tumorous tissue and the importance of the CM for tumour detection in the 2 modalities were studied in a rabbit tumour model. CT and T1-weighted pre- and postcontrast and T2-weighted MR images precontrast were obtained.


RESULTS
Compared to precontrast images, significantly higher contrasts of normal liver tissue to tumorous tissue were obtained after CM administration in both CT and MR examinations. At radiologic evaluation, significantly more tumours were detected after CM administration in CT and in T1-weighted MR images than in precontrast images in CT and T1-weighted MR. There were no significant differences in tumour detection frequency in MR studies including a T2-weighted pulse sequence, postcontrast CT, or postcontrast T1-weighted MR imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of liver-specific CM improves visualization of liver tumours in CT and T1-weighted MR imaging.
Leander
P
P
Department of Experimental Research, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Månsson
S
S
Ege
T
T
Besjakov
J
J
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008081:Liposomes; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008345:Manganese; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011817:Rabbits; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids
D003287:Contrast Media; D008081:Liposomes; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids; D008345:Manganese; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate; D004492:Edetic Acid; C044834:iodixanol; C060076:N,N'-bis(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid