CT AND MR-IMAGING OF THE LIVER USING LIVER-SPECIFIC CONTRAST-MEDIA - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY IN A TUMOR-MODEL

Purpose: A new type of liposomal liver-specific contrast medium (CM) i n CT was studied, and the results were compared with those obtained wi th Mn-DPDP, a paramagnetic hepatobiliary CM, in MR imaging. The contra sts of normal liver tissue to tumorous tissue and the importance of th e CM for tumour detection in the 2 modalities were studied in a rabbit tumour model. CT and T1-weighted pre- and postcontrast and T2-weighte d MR images precontrast were obtained. Material, Methods and Results: Compared to precontrast images, significantly higher contrasts of norm al liver tissue to tumorous tissue were obtained after CM administrati on in both CT and MR examinations. At radiologic evaluation, significa ntly more tumours were detected after CM administration in CT and in T 1-weighted MR images than in precontrast images in CT and T1-weighted MR. There were no significant differences in tumour detection frequenc y in MR studies including a T2-weighted pulse sequence, postcontrast C T, or postcontrast T1-weighted MR imaging. Conclusion: The use of live r-specific CM improves visualization of liver tumours in CT and T1-wei ghted MR imaging.