Hemodynamic characterization of focal hepatic lesions: role of ferucarbotran-enhanced dynamic MR imaging using T2-weighted multishot spin-echo echo-planar sequence.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of ferucarbotran-enhanced dynamic MR imaging using multishot spin-echo echo-planar sequence in the evaluation of hemodynamics of focal hepatic lesions.


METHODS
Sixty-three focal hepatic lesions (24 benign and 39 malignant) from 53 consecutive patients who underwent both ferucarbotran-enhanced MR imaging and dynamic computed tomography (CT) were included in this study. MR imaging was performed with a 1.5-T scanner with a phased-array coil. T2-weighted multishot spin-echo echo-planar sequences (TR/TE = 1714-2813/80 msec) were obtained during a single breathhold before and 15, 60, 120, 180, and 600 seconds after intravenous injection of ferucarbotran. The enhancement patterns of lesions were classified into three categories by a study coordinator on the basis of dynamic CT images as hypervascular, hypovascular, and hemangioma type. The study coordinator created mean contrast-to-noise ratio of lesions vs. time curves for each enhancement pattern for quantitative analyses. Moreover, three radiologists separately and blindly reviewed MR images, and then assigned three confidence scores for the three enhancement patterns to each lesion. Sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed.


RESULTS
Quantitative analyses showed characteristic enhancement curves for each enhancement pattern. Mean sensitivities/specificities were 0.816/0.882, 0.897/0.863, and 0.800/0.989 for hypervascular, hypovascular, and hemangioma types, respectively. Mean areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.886 for hypervascular type and 0.913 for hypovascular type.


CONCLUSIONS
Ferucarbotran-enhanced dynamic MR imaging can be used to successfully characterize the hemodynamics of focal hepatic lesions.
Hori
Masatoshi
M
Department of Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. mhori@radiol.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Murakami
Takamichi
T
Kim
Tonsok
T
Iannaccone
Riccardo
R
Abe
Hisashi
H
Onishi
Hiromitsu
H
Tomoda
Kaname
K
Catalano
Carlo
C
Passariello
Roberto
R
Nakamura
Hironobu
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019540:Area Under Curve; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003911:Dextrans; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D005260:Female; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide