Enhancement of liver parenchyma after injection of hepatocyte-specific MRI contrast media: a comparison of gadoxetic acid and gadobenate dimeglumine.
OBJECTIVE
To compare enhancement of liver parenchyma in MR imaging after injection of hepatocyte-specific contrast media.


METHODS
Patients (n = 295) with known/suspected focal liver lesions randomly received 0.025 mmol gadoxetic acid/kg body weight or 0.05 mmol gadobenate dimeglumine/kg body weight by means of bolus injection. MR imaging was performed before and immediately after injection, and in the delayed phase at approved time points (20 min after injection of gadoxetic acid and 40 min after injection of gadobenate dimeglumine). The relative liver enhancement for the overall population and a cirrhotic subgroup was compared in T1-weighted GRE sequences. An independent radiologist performed signal intensity measurements. Enhancement ratios were compared using confidence intervals (CIs).


RESULTS
The relative liver enhancement in the overall population was superior with gadoxetic acid (57.24%) versus gadobenate dimeglumine (32.77%) in the delayed-imaging phase. The enhancement ratio between the contrast media was statistically significant at 1.75 (95% CI: 1.46-2.13). In the delayed phase, the enhancement of cirrhotic liver with gadoxetic acid (57.00%) was comparable to that in the overall population. Enhancement with gadobenate dimeglumine was inferior in cirrhotic liver parenchyma (26.85%).


CONCLUSIONS
In the delayed, hepatocyte-specific phase, liver enhancement after injection of gadoxetic acid was superior to that obtained with gadobenate dimeglumine.
Filippone
Antonella
A
Department of Clinical Sciences and Bioimages, SS Annunziata Hospital, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy. a.filippone@rad.unich.it
Blakeborough
Anthony
A
Breuer
Josy
J
Grazioli
Luigi
L
Gschwend
Simone
S
Hammerstingl
Renate
R
Heinz-Peer
Gertraud
G
Kittner
Thomas
T
Laghi
Andrea
A
Leen
Edward
E
Lencioni
Riccardo
R
Lucidarme
Olivier
O
Remplik
Philipp
P
Robinson
Philip J
PJ
Ruehm
Stefan G
SG
Schaefer
Fritz
F
Stoupis
Christoforos
C
Tombach
Bernd
B
Valette
Pierre-Jean
PJ
Zech
Christoph J
CJ
Huppertz
Alexander
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005060:Europe; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C073590:gadolinium ethoxybenzyl DTPA; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA