Tumor-liver contrast and subjective tumor conspicuity of respiratory-triggered T2-weighted fast spin-echo sequence compared with T2*-weighted gradient recalled-echo sequence for ferucarbotran-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of hepatic malignant tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To compare respiratory-triggered T2-weighted fast spin-echo (RTT2W-FSE) and gradient T2*-weighted recalled-echo (T2*W-GRE) images for visualization of malignant hepatic tumors using ferucarbotran-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.


METHODS
Ferucarbotran-enhanced RTT2W-FSE and breath-hold long-TE 2D-fast spoiled gradient recalled acquisition in the steady state (FSPGR) images as T2*W-GRE were used to evaluate 128 malignant hepatic tumors (77 metastases, 37 hepatocellular carcinomas, 14 other) in 62 patients. Tumor-to-liver contrast (TLC) was quantitatively compared using the paired Student's t-test, and the score of lesion conspicuity was qualitatively compared using Wilcoxon's signed rank test.


RESULTS
The mean TLC of RTT2W-FSE was significantly higher than that of FSPGR (1.10 +/- 0.82 vs. 2.54 +/- 1.42) in all malignant tumors. The score of lesion conspicuity of RTT2W-FSE was significantly higher than that of FSPGR (4.84 +/- 0.52 vs. 4.52 +/- 0.99) in all malignant tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
For ferucarbotran-enhanced MR imaging, compared to FSPGR images, RTT2W-FSE images provide greater TLC and subjective conspicuity for malignant tumors.
Ishiyama
Koichi
K
Department of Radiology, Akita University School of Medicine, Akita, Japan. kishiyam@doc.med.akita-u.ac.jp
Hashimoto
Manabu
M
Izumi
Jun-Ichi
J
Watarai
Jiro
J
Shibata
Satoshi
S
Sato
Tsutomu
T
Yamamoto
Yuzo
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003911:Dextrans; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D018323:Hemangioendothelioma, Epithelioid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007501:Iron; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010087:Oxides; D012119:Respiration; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide