SPIO-Enhanced MRI Findings of Well-Differentiated Hepatocellular Carcinomas: Correlation with MDCT Findings.
10.3348/kjr.2009.10.2.112
- Author:
Seong Hyun KIM
1
;
Won Jae LEE
;
Hyo K LIM
;
Cheol Keun PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 135-710, Korea. kshyun@skku.edu
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma;
Superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced MRI, MDCT
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Aged, 80 and over;
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*pathology;
Contrast Media;
Female;
Humans;
Image Enhancement/methods;
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted;
Iron/*diagnostic use;
Liver Neoplasms/*pathology;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Oxides/*diagnostic use;
Retrospective Studies;
Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*methods
- From:Korean Journal of Radiology
2009;10(2):112-120
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to assess superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced MRI findings of well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) correlated with their multidetector-row CT (MDCT) findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two patients with 84 pathologically proven well-differentiated HCCs underwent triple-phase MDCT and SPIO-enhanced MRI at a magnetic field strength of 1.5 Tesla (n = 49) and 3.0 Tesla (n = 23). Two radiologists in consensus retrospectively reviewed the CT and MR images for attenuation value and the signal intensity of each tumor. The proportion of hyperintense HCCs as depicted on SPIO-enhanced T2- or T2*-weighted images were compared in terms of tumor size (< 1 cm and > 1 cm), five CT attenuation patterns based on arterial and equilibrium phases and magnetic field strength, by the use of univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Seventy-eight (93%) and 71 (85%) HCCs were identified by CT and on SPIO-enhanced T2- and T2*-weighted images, respectively. For the CT attenuation pattern, one (14%) of seven isodense-isodense, four (67%) of six hypodense-hypodense, four (80%) of five isodense-hypodense, 14 (88%) of 16 hyperdense-isodense and 48 (96%) of 50 hyperdense-hypodense HCCs were hyperintense (Cochran-Armitage test for trend, p < 0.001). Based on the use of multivariate analysis, the CT attenuation pattern was the only factor that affected the proportion of hyperintense HCCs as depicted on SPIO-enhanced T2- or T2*-weighted images (p < 0.001). Tumor size or magnetic field strength was not a factor that affected the proportion of hyperintense HCCs based on the use of univariate and multivariate analysis (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Most well-differentiated HCCs show hyperintensity on SPIO-enhanced MRI, although the lesions show various CT attenuation patterns. The CT attenuation pattern is the main factor that affects the proportion of hyperintense well-differentiated HCCs as depicted on SPIO-enhanced MRI.
