QUANTITATIVE MR-IMAGING DATA IN THE EVALUATION OF HEPATIC METASTASES DURING SYSTEMIC CHEMOTHERAPY

To identify changes induced by chemotherapy in hepatic metastases, 34 patients with metastases underwent magnetic resonance [MR] imaging bef ore the start of systemic chemotherapy and monthly thereafter, The num ber, size, and morphologic patterns of the lesions and changes in quan titative parameters (signal-to-noise ratio [S/N]), contrast-to-noise r atio, and signal intensity ratio) were evaluated and correlated with r esponse to treatment and prognosis, After treatment, seven patients sh owed a partial response, 18 had stable disease, and nine had progressi ve disease, No relevant changes in the patterns of the lesions were ob served, Quantitative data showed that patients with a good prognosis h ad an increase in S/N on T1-weighted images and a relative decrease on T1-weighted images; patients with a poor prognosis showed a decrease in S/N on T1-weighted images and an increase on T2-weighted images, Th e differences between patient groups were significant for both T1- and T2-weighted images. This study demonstrates the value of MR imaging i n follow-up of liver metastases and suggests the usefulness of quantit ative MR imaging data.