Ferucarbotran-enhanced T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: differentiation of hepatic cavernous hemangiomas from malignant solid lesions.
BACKGROUND
To demonstrate the characteristic feature of hepatic cavernous hemangiomas on ferucarbotran-enhanced T2-weighted MR imaging as a new diagnostic finding.


METHODS
In 201 hepatic lesions (61 hemangiomas, 61 cysts, 41 hepatocellular carcinomas, 31 metastatic carcinomas, and 7 cholangiocarcinomas), lesion-to-liver contrast on ferucarbotran-enhanced T2-weighted images was qualitatively compared with pre-contrast images by three independent readers using a four-grade scale (group 1, marked increase; group 2, mild increase; group 3, no change; group 4, decrease). The change in the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for each lesion was quantitatively measured.


RESULTS
Only hemangiomas showed a significant decrease in CNR; 10% and 90% of the hemangiomas were categorized as group 3 and 4 lesions, respectively. Besides the hemangiomas, there was no other lesion categorized into group 4 except for one cyst. When group 4 lesions were considered hemangiomas, the accuracy of identification was 96.4%.


CONCLUSIONS
Hemangiomas show a significant decrease in lesion-to-liver contrast on T2-weighted images after ferucarbotran injection, which might be another typical diagnostic imaging finding of hemangiomas distinguished from solid malignant lesions.
Cho
Eun-Suk
ES
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, YongDong Severance Hospital and Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Yu
Jeong-Sik
JS
Ahn
Jhii-Hyun
JH
Park
Mi-Suk
MS
Kim
Joo Hee
JH
Chung
Jae-Joon
JJ
Kim
Ki Whang
KW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide