Discrimination of benign from malignant hepatic lesions based on their T2-relaxation times calculated from moderately T2-weighted turbo SE sequence.
The differentiation of hemangioma from other hepatic neoplasms using MRI usually relies on the evaluation of heavily T2-weighted images. The aim of this study was to assess the value of T2-relaxation times calculated from moderately T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequence in characterization of focal hepatic lesions, including hepatic malignancies, focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), hemangioma, and cyst. Fifty-two patients with 114 proven lesions (61 malignant masses, 6 focal nodular hyperplasias, 28 hemangiomas, 19 cystic lesions) were examined on 1.5-T system using a double-echo TSE sequence (TR=1800 ms; TE(eff) 1=40 ms; TE(eff) 2=120 ms). Signal intensities (SI) of the liver as well as SI of all lesions were measured, and then the T2-relaxation times were calculated. The mean T2 time for the liver was 54 ms (+/-8 ms), for FNH 66 ms (+/-7 ms), for malignant hepatic lesions 85 ms (+/-17 ms), for hemangiomas 155 ms (+/-35 ms), and for cystic lesions 583 ms (+/-369) ms. Most malignant hepatic lesions were best differentiated between the thresholds of 67 and 116 ms, generating a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 94%. There were six false-negative diagnoses of malignant tumor and three false-positive cases (two hemangiomas and one FNH). Calculation of the T2-relaxation times obtained from the double-echo TSE sequence with moderate T2-weighting allowed differentiation between malignant and benign hepatic lesions with high sensitivity and specificity.
Second Department of Clinical Radiology, The Medical University of Warsaw, ul.Banacha 1a, 02097, Warsaw, Poland. acieszan@amwaw.edu.pl
Andrzej
A
Cieszanowski
Wojciech
W
Szeszkowski
Marek
M
Golebiowski
Dennis K
DK
Bielecki
Mariusz
M
Grodzicki
Bogdan
B
Pruszynski
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity