Diffusion-weighted images of the liver: comparison of tumor detection before and after contrast enhancement with superparamagnetic iron oxide.
OBJECTIVE
To study the recognition of malignant lesions of the liver on diffusion-weighted images (DWI) can be improved by the administration of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO).


METHODS
Pre- and post-SPIO mediated DWI of the liver was compared in six patients with suspected malignant liver lesions at 1.5 Tesla using a parallel imaging technique.


RESULTS
Post-SPIO DWI showed improved contrast-to-noise ratio between malignant lesions and liver. Furthermore, the spleen signal was decreased on post-SPIO DWI, thus avoiding the overlap of the spleen and left lobe of the liver on maximum intensity projections (MIP).


CONCLUSIONS
Recognition of malignant lesions of the liver was improved by SPIO on DWI. On MIP images of DWI, SPIO helped to decrease the overlap of spleen signal on the liver in some projection angles.
Naganawa
Shinji
S
Department of Radiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. naganawa@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Sato
Chiho
C
Nakamura
Tatsuya
T
Kumada
Hisashi
H
Ishigaki
Takeo
T
Miura
Shunichi
S
Maruyama
Katsuya
K
Takizawa
Osamu
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D005260:Female; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide