title: Gadoxetate disodium-enhanced hepatobiliary phase MRI of hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation with histological characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess whether gadoxetate disodium-enhanced hepatobiliary phase MRI could predict the histologic factors of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three HCCs histopathologically proved by surgery in 51 patients were evaluated retrospectively. All patients underwent gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI before surgical resection. The differences in contrast enhancement ratio of the lesions and differences in contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) among the histologic grades of HCC were compared by using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The Spearman method was used to determine the correlations among contrast enhancement ratio, CNR, cell density ratio, and positivity for anti-hepatocyte antibody, keratin 7, and keratin 19.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 53 HCCs, 50 showed low signal intensity on hepatobiliary phase images, whereas three HCCs were hyperintense on hepatobiliary phase images compared with surrounding hepatic parenchyma. Although well-differentiated HCCs tended to show higher contrast enhancement, there was no statistical significance between contrast enhancement ratio of the tumors and histologic grade (p = 0.414). No significant difference was observed between CNR and histologic grade (p = 0.965). The contrast enhancement ratios of the tumors were significantly lower in the keratin 19-positive group than in the keratin 19-negative group (p = 0.015). There was no significant correlation among contrast enhancement ratio, anti-hepatocyte antibody positivity, cell density ratio, and keratin 7 positivity (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The contrast enhancement ratio and CNR of HCCs were not correlated with histologic grades. The contrast enhancement ratio was significantly lower in keratin 19-positive HCCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University Health System, 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-ku Shinchon-dong 134, Seoul 120-752, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Myeong-Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Nyun
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jeong Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sun Kook
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Rha
authors.forename: Jae Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Seok
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D053539:Keratin-19 / Q000032:analysis; D053552:Keratin-7; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003287:Contrast Media; C507497:KRT7 protein, human; D053539:Keratin-19; D053552:Keratin-7; C073590:gadolinium ethoxybenzyl DTPA; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA