Diagnostic value of the fluoroscopic triggering 3D LAVA technique for primary liver cancer.
BACKGROUND
Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one of the common malignant tumors. Liver acquisition with acceleration volume acquisition (LAVA), which allows simultaneous dynamic enhancement of the hepatic parenchyma and vasculature imaging, is of great help in the diagnosis of PLC. This study aimed to evaluate application of the fluoroscopic triggering 3D LAVA technique in the imaging of PLC and liver vasculature.


METHODS
The clinical data and imaging findings of 38 adults with PLC (22 men and 16 women; average age 52 years), pathologically confirmed by surgical resection or biopsy, were collected and analyzed. All magnetic resonance images were obtained with a 1.5-T system (General Electrics Medical Systems) with an eight-element body array coil and application of the fluoroscopic triggering 3D LAVA technique. Overall image quality was assessed on a 5-point scale by two experienced radiologists. All the nodules and blood vessel were recorded and compared. The diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of LAVA were evaluated.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight patients gave high quality images of 72 nodules in the liver for diagnosis. The accuracy of LAVA was 97.2% (70/72), and the coincidence rate between the extent of tumor judged by dynamic enhancement and pathological examination was 87.5% (63/72). Displayed by the maximum intensity projection reconstruction, nearly all cases gave satisfactory images of branches III and IV of the hepatic artery. Furthermore, small early-stage enhancing hepatic lesions and the parallel portal vein were also well displayed.


CONCLUSIONS
Sequence of LAVA provides good multi-phase dynamic enhancement scanning of hepatic lesions. Combined with conventional scanning technology, LAVA effectively and safely displays focal hepatic lesions and the relationship between tumor and normal tissues, especially blood vessels.
Shen
Xiao-Yong
XY
Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Chai
Chun-Hua
CH
Xiao
Wen-Bo
WB
Wang
Qi-Dong
QD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology