Small malignant hepatic tumor detection in gadolinium- and ferucarbotran-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging: does combining ferucarbotran-enhanced T2*-weighted gradient echo and T2-weighted turbo spin echo images have additive efficacy?
OBJECTIVE
To determine if a combination of ferucarbotran-enhanced T2*weighted-gradient echo (T2*W-GRE) and T2-weighted turbo spin echo (T2W-TSE) images in gadolinium- and ferucarbotran-enhanced MRI has additive efficacy compared to each image alone for detecting small (< or = 2.0 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions in a group of cirrhotic patients and metastases in a group of non-cirrhotic patients.


METHODS
Two readers retrospectively analyzed gadolinium- and ferucarbotran-enhanced T2*W-GRE, T2W-TSE, and combined T2*W-GRE/T2W-TSE images of 119 patients with 157 HCCs and 32 patients with 98 metastases. The diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity for each image set and the combined set were evaluated using the alternative-free response receiver operating characteristic method.


RESULTS
The mean area under the curve value of the combined set (0.966) tended to be better than that for each individual image set (T2W-TSE [0.910], T2*W-GRE [0.892]). Sensitivities in the combined set were higher than those in each individual image set for detecting HCC (mean, 93.0% versus 81.6% and 86.7%, respectively, p < 0.01). Sensitivities in the combined set and the T2W-TSE set were the same for detecting metastases, and both were higher than the sensitivity seen in the T2*W-GRE set (mean, 97.5% versus 85.2 %, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Combining ferucarbotran-enhanced T2*W-GRE and T2W-TSE has additive efficacy for detecting HCC in cirrhotic patients, but T2W-TSE is preferred for detecting metastases in non-cirrhotic patients.
Kim
Young Kon
YK
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Chonbuk National University Hospital and Medical School, Chonbuk, Korea. jmyr@dreamwiz.com
Lee
Young Hwan
YH
Kwak
Hyo Sung
HS
Kim
Chong Soo
CS
Han
Young Min
YM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003911:Dextrans; D005260:Female; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010087:Oxides; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide