title: Does T2-weighted MR imaging improve preoperative detection of malignant hepatic tumors? Observer performance study in 49 surgically proven cases.
abstract: The purpose of our study was to determine whether or not the addition of T2-weighted fast spin-echo (SE) imaging to gadolinium-enhanced spoiled gradient-recalled-echo (GRE) imaging improves the observer performance in the preoperative detection of malignant hepatic tumors. Gadolinium-enhanced GRE and fat-suppressed T2-weighted fast SE images obtained in 49 patients with 82 surgically confirmed malignant hepatic tumors (40 hepatocellular carcinomas and 42 metastases) were retrospectively reviewed by three independent off-site observers. In the random review of images, gadolinium-enhanced GRE images were reviewed first; thereafter, T2-weighted fast SE images were added for combined review. Observer performance was evaluated with the McNemar's test and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. For gadolinium-enhanced GRE images alone vs. combined images, sensitivities for detection were 78% vs. 79% for hepatocellular carcinomas (P>.05), 67% vs. 71% for metastases (P<.05) and 72% vs. 75% for tumors overall (P<.05), respectively. The Az values were 0.892 vs. 0.889 in hepatocellular carcinomas (P>.05), 0.797 vs. 0.828 in metastases (P<.05) and 0.839 vs. 0.846 in tumors overall (P>.05), respectively. Our results showed that the addition of T2-weighted fast SE imaging to gadolinium-enhanced GRE imaging improved the observer performance in the detection of metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Gifu University School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanematsu
authors.forename: Kyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Katsuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Yoji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maetani
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goshima
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: Naofumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoshi
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moriyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA