Evaluation of hepatic lesions and hepatic parenchyma using diffusion-weighted reordered turboFLASH magnetic resonance images.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the centric reordered snapshot fast low-angle shot (reordered turboFLASH) magnetic resonance (MR) images with no, low, and high motion-probing gradients (MPGs) were useful to evaluate hepatic lesions and hepatic parenchyma.


METHODS
The measured diffusion coefficient (D), deviation factor (f), and apparent diffusion coefficient for flowing spin (D*) values for 92 hepatic lesions (33 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 17 metastases, 27 hemangiomas, and 15 cysts) and the nonlesion-bearing regions of parenchyma in 74 livers (46 noncirrhotic and 28 cirrhotic) were approximately calculated from the reordered turboFLASH images (modified for diffusion sensitivities of b = 0, 50.2, and 295 seconds/mm(2)).


RESULTS
These groups, listed in order of decreasing D* and f values, were cysts, noncirrhotic livers, cirrhotic livers, hemangiomas, metastases, and HCCs. The order on the basis of D values was cysts, hemangiomas, metastases, HCCs, cirrhotic livers, and noncirrhotic livers. Noncirrhotic livers showed higher D* and f values, and lower D values than HCCs and metastases (P < 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
The D* and f values, in addition to the D value, may be useful for evaluating the nature of diffusion and flowing spins in hepatic lesions and hepatic parenchyma.
Moteki
Takao
T
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Gunma University Hospital, Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan. motekitakao@jcom.home.ne.jp
Horikoshi
Hiroyuki
H
Oya
Nariyuki
N
Aoki
Jun
J
Endo
Keigo
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007472:Iohexol; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol