title: MR imaging of hypervascular liver tumors: timing optimization during the arterial phase.
abstract: To analyze the optimal timing strategy for the detection of hypervascular liver tumors during the arterial phase of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, a test examination after injection of 2 mL of gadopentetate dimeglumine was performed in 47 patients. The time course of the tumor-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for all studies together was determined relative to the start of injection, the time of peak aortic enhancement, and the time of peak enhancement in the tumor. All studies were grouped together and the highest CNR was transiently observed at the time of peak tumor enhancement. This CNR was significantly higher than those observed at fixed delays after peak aortic enhancement. However, the CNRs at peak tumor enhancement+/-1.5 seconds did not differ significantly from those obtained after peak aortic enhancement. Finally, the CNRs obtained at fixed delays after the start of injection remained significantly lower. In hypervascular liver tumors, a higher CNR can be obtained during the arterial phase when the MR imaging delay is determined relative to the time of peak enhancement in the tumor or the aorta rather than being fixed after the start of contrast material injection. Timing based on the enhancement profile in the tumor rather than in the aorta should be performed only if rapid MR imaging is available with a time resolution of about 1.5 seconds to image the whole liver.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Université Catholique de Louvain, St-Luc University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium. vanbeers@rdgn.ucl.ac.be
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Van Beers
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Materne
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lacrosse
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jamart
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horsmans
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gigot
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gilon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pringot
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D016477:Artifacts; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA