Liver lesion conspicuity: T2-weighted breath-hold fast spin-echo MR imaging before and after gadolinium enhancement--initial experience.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of a gadolinium chelate on T2-weighted breath-hold fast spin-echo magnetic resonance images of focal hepatic lesions.


METHODS
In 21 patients with focal hepatic lesions, identical T2-weighted breath-hold fast spin-echo images were obtained before and after gadolinium enhancement and were compared regarding lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio, signal-to-noise ratio, lesion conspicuity, and vascular pulsation artifact. Image review was performed independently, in random order, by two experienced radiologists.


RESULTS
For solid lesions, the lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio on enhanced images was significantly higher (P <.05) than that on nonenhanced images. For nonsolid lesions, however, there was no significant difference (P =.07). For both readers, lesion conspicuity for solid lesions on enhanced images was significantly higher than on nonenhanced images (P <.05). Severity of vascular pulsation artifact was not significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
Solid-lesion contrast on T2-weighted breath-hold fast spin-echo images improves after administration of a gadolinium chelate. These images should be obtained after, rather than before, gadolinium enhancement.
Jeong
Y Y
YY
Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 132 S 10th St, 1096 Main Bldg, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Mitchell
D G
DG
Holland
G A
GA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA