Comparison of CT and MRI artefacts from coils and vascular plugs used for portal vein embolization.
OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively analyze the degree of artefacts in CT and MRI scans caused by coils and vascular plugs used for portal vein embolization (PVE).


METHODS
All patients who underwent PVE between July 2011 and December 2012 and received either plug or coil embolization additional to particle embolization were retrospectively analyzed. Artefacts causes by embolization materials were measured in CT and MRI scans following PVE.


RESULTS
The sum of the artefact diameters caused from coils was significantly higher in CT (188.3 ± 26.1 mm) than in MRI T1 (50.5 ± 6.5 mm) or T2 imaging (39.5 ± 9.7 mm) (P<0.05). In MRI, the diameter in T1 and T2 sequences did not differ significantly (P=0.977). The sum of the artefact diameters from vascular plugs in MRI T1 sequences (62.5 ± 8.7 mm) was significantly higher than in CT (46.6 ± 4.8 mm; P<0.05) and MRI T2 sequences (52.8 ± 3.8 mm; P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
PVE with particles and vascular plug causes significantly fewer artefacts than PVE with particles and coils on CT scans following embolization, which can be important in the event of vascular complications or in follow-up scans, should the patient become unresectable.
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: dominik.geisel@charite.de.
Dominik
D
Geisel
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
Bernhard
B
Gebauer
Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
Maciej
M
Malinowski
Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
Martin
M
Stockmann
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
Timm
T
Denecke
D016477:Artifacts; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
Artefacts; CT; Coil embolization; MRI; Plug embolization; Portal vein embolization