DYNAMIC GADOLINIUM-DOTA-ENHANCED MR-IMAGING AT 1.0 T - VALUE IN THE DIFFERENTIATION OF HEPATIC-TUMORS

A prospective study was performed to determine the value of dynamic ga dolinium-tetraazacyclododecanetetraacetic acid (Gd-DOTA)-enhanced magn etic resonance (MR) imaging at 1.0 T, using a gradient-echo (GRE) tech nique, in the differentiation of hepatic tumors. Fifty patients with h emangiomas (n = 14), focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 4), and malignant tumors of the liver (n = 32) underwent GRE MR imaging at 1.0 T before and repeatedly for 4 minutes after intravenous bolus administration of Gd-DOTA. The diagnoses were proved by histology or follow-up examinat ion. On unenhanced GRE images, hemangiomas had a significantly lower t umor-to-liver contrast-to-noise (C/N) ratio (-14.74 +/- 4.49) than did the other tumors (-6.96 +/- 5.49) (p < 0.02), and benign tumors had a significantly lower C/N ratio (-12.43 +/- 5.99) than did malignant tu mors (-7.29 +/- 5.71) (p < 0.05). On contrast-enhanced images, hemangi omas had a significantly lower C/N ratio (-17.60 +/- 6.90) than did th e other tumors (- 5.07 +/- 12.12) (p < 0.05) in the early phase. Durin g the delayed phase, hemangiomas had a significantly higher C/N ratio (3.90 +/- 3.81) than did the other tumors (-4.85 +/- 6.51) (p < 0.01), and benign tumors had a significantly higher C/N ratio (3.21 +/- 3.65 ) than did malignant tumors (-5.56 +/- 6.56) (p < 0.001). Our data sug gest that dynamic Gd-DOTA-enhanced MR imaging at 1.0 T provides useful information to differentiate between benign and malignant hepatic tum ors, and to distinguish hemangiomas from the other tumors.