MR imaging of the liver with Gd-BOPTA: quantitative analysis of T1-weighted images at two different doses.
This study evaluates the efficacy of gadobentate-dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) for enhancement of liver signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and lesion-liver contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) on T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) and gradient-recalled-echo (GRE) images at two different doses. Fifty patients with known or suspected liver lesions were examined at 1.5 T. T1-weighted SE (TR/TE 300/12 msec) and GRE images (TR/TE80/4.2 msec/flip angle 80 degrees) were obtained before and at 40-80 minutes and 90-120 minutes after administration of 0.05 or 0.1 mmol/kg Gd-BOPTA. Quantitative measurements of tissue signal intensity were performed at each dose. Liver showed significant enhancement after Gd-BOPTA on T1-weighted SE and GRE images (0.05 mmol: P < 0.05; 0.1 mmol: P < 0.001). The dose of 0.1 mmol/kg provided higher liver SNR than 0.05 mmol/kg. Mean liver SNR was higher on GRE than SE images (P < 0.0001). Lesion-liver CNR significantly increased on GRE images after 0.1 mmol (P < 0.05). There was a trend toward superiority of 0.1 mmol over 0.05 mmol/kg. GRE images were superior to SE images for pre- and post Gd-BOPTA lesion-liver CNR (P < 0.05). Our study suggests that Gd-BOPTA provides prolonged enhancement of liver SNR and CNR, that a dose of 0.1 mmol/Kg appears to be superior than 0.05 mmol/Kg, and that GRE techniques should be used in preference over SE techniques.
Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 02114, USA.
W
W
Schima
S
S
Saini
J
J
Petersein
R
R
Weissleder
M
M
Harisinghani
W
W
Mayo-Smith
P F
PF
Hahn
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine