Comparison between areas with Gd-EOB-DTPA uptake and without in hepatocellular carcinomas on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced hepatobiliary-phase MR imaging: pathological correlation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine histological and MR imaging differences between areas with Gd-EOB-DTPA (gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid) uptake and without in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) as seen on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced hepatobiliary-phase MR images.


METHODS
This study included nine patients with nine histopathologically proven HCCs (mean size, 1.9 cm) that consisted of two portions of a non-hypointense (Gd-EOB-DTPA uptake) and hypointense area (no Gd-EOB-DTPA uptake) in one tumor as depicted on hepatobiliary-phase MR images. Two radiologists and one pathologist compared the histological and MR finding differences between the two portions in consensus.


RESULTS
In eight specimens, non-hypointense areas of six specimens showed a green color and two specimens did not show a green color. Microscopically, two of nine showed a higher percentage of bile pigments in the non-hypointense area as compared to the hypointense area and the remaining seven showed no difference. Six were homogeneous Edmondson-Steiner grade II, and one was grade I. In two, non-hypointense areas were grade II and hypointense areas were grade I. No difference between the two portions was found for necrosis, hemorrhage, fibrosis, and a fibrous capsule. Seven on T1/T2-weighted images and eight on arterial and portal phase images showed no different signal intensity between the two portions.


CONCLUSIONS
Although macroscopically, a non-hypointense area of an HCC seen on GD-EOB-DTPA-enhanced hepatobiliary-phase images may be associated with the area with a green color, no definite microscopic and MR imaging findings that could discriminate a non-hypointense from a hypointense area of an HCC was found.
Lee
Sanghee
S
Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Seong Hyun
SH
Park
Cheol Keun
CK
Kim
Young-sun
YS
Lee
Won Jae
WJ
Lim
Hyo K
HK
D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000378:metabolism; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media; C073590:gadolinium ethoxybenzyl DTPA; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA