[The clinical usefulness of SPIO-MRI in detection and staging of hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
It is still unclear whether Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (SPIO-MRI) is a clinically useful imaging modality for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study searched for the clinical usefulness and limitations of SPIO-MRI with respect to tumor detection capacity, false positive and negative rate, and early recurrence rate.


METHODS
From December 1999 to February 2001, 218 patients who were surgical candidates by 3-phase dynamic helical CT (3dHCT) were enrolled. We reviewed the medical records and radiologic findings, retrospectively, and postulated the post-operative pathologic findings and the early recurrences within 3 months as the standards for the true positive lesion.


RESULTS
The mean number of nodules detected by SPIO-MRI was significantly more numerous than that of 3dHCT (p<0.01). Modifications of treatment strategy due to the discordant findings between SPIO-MRI and 3dHCT for tumor resectability were observed in 22 (10.1%) out of 218 patients. Early recurrences were observed in 10 patients (7.8%). The false positive and negative rates of SPIO-MRI were 6.3% and 13.3%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrated that the tumor detection rate of SPIO-MRI was better than that of 3dHCT. Given the relatively acceptable false positive and negative rates, SPIO-MRI could be an appropriate preoperative imaging modality for patients with HCCs.
Koh
Kwang Cheol
KC
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Hong Joo
HJ
Choe
Won Hyeok
WH
Chae
Gyung Soo
GS
Choi
Moon Seok
MS
Lee
Joon Hyoek
JH
Paik
Seung Woon
SW
Rhee
Jong Chul
JC
Choi
Kyu Wan
KW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed
D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide