Ferucarbotran-enhanced MRI versus triple-phase MDCT for the preoperative detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
We compared ferucarbotran-enhanced MRI with triple-phase MDCT for the preoperative detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.


METHODS
Seventy-three consecutive patients with 121 hepatocellular carcinomas underwent ferucarbotran-enhanced MRI, including a dynamic study, and triple-phase MDCT before hepatic resection. The diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma was confirmed in all patients by means of pathologic examination after surgical resection. Three experienced radiologists independently reviewed the MR and CT images on a segment-by-segment basis. The accuracy of these techniques for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma was assessed by conducting a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of the observations of 88 resected hepatic segments with at least one hepatocellular carcinoma each and 121 resected hepatic segments without hepatocellular carcinoma.


RESULTS
The mean values of the area under the ROC curve (A(z)) for ferucarbotran-enhanced MRI and triple-phase MDCT for all observers were 0.947 and 0.949, respectively; the difference between these two values was not statistically significant (p = 0.799). The mean sensitivities of MRI and triple-phase MDCT were 90.2% and 91.3%, respectively, and their mean specificities were 97.0% and 95.3%, respectively. The differences in the mean sensitivities and specificities of these two imaging techniques were not statistically significant (p > 0.05 in each case).


CONCLUSIONS
Ferucarbotran-enhanced MRI seems to be as accurate as triple-phase MDCT for the preoperative detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Kim
Seong Hyun
SH
Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Ilwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, South Korea.
Choi
Dongil
D
Kim
Seung Hoon
SH
Lim
Jae Hoon
JH
Lee
Won Jae
WJ
Kim
Min Ju
MJ
Lim
Hyo K
HK
Lee
Soon Jin
SJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D005260:Female; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007501:Iron; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed
D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide