title: Hepatocellular carcinoma with marginal superparamagnetic iron oxide uptake on T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: histopathologic correlation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the characteristics of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) with marginal superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) uptake on T2*-weighted MRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 73 patients with 83 surgically resected HCCs. Preoperative SPIO-enhanced MRI studies were retrospectively reviewed. Marginal SPIO uptake was considered positive if a rim-like or band-like low intensity area was present on SPIO-enhanced T2*-weighted images. The prevalence of marginal SPIO uptake was evaluated. Pathological specimens with hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining of CD68 were reviewed in HCCs with marginal SPIO uptake and 33 HCCs without marginal SPIO uptake (control group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten of 83 (12%) HCCs showed marginal SPIO uptake. All HCCs were hypervascular, and only one nodule showed a nodule-in-nodule appearance on imaging findings. The pathology specimens suggested possible causes of marginal SPIO uptake, including marginal macrophage infiltration in moderately or poorly differentiated HCC (n=4), residual normal hepatic tissue at the marginal area of confluent multinodular or single nodular with extranodular growth type HCC (n=3), and a well-differentiated HCC component in nodule-in-nodule type HCC (n=3). Marginal macrophage infiltration was not seen in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SPIO-enhanced MRI may be able to demonstrate marginal macrophage infiltration in HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan. Ishigamikousei@aol.com
authors.forename: Kousei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishigami
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishie
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asayama
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kakihara
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Akinobu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taketomi
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirabe
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Honda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003911:Dextrans / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; C097921:ferumoxtran-10