MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING IN THE DETECTION OF FOCAL LIVER-LESIONS - COMPARISON OF DYNAMIC CONTRAST-ENHANCED TURBOFLASH AND T-2 WEIGHTED SPIN-ECHO IMAGES

In a previous study using dynamic contrast-enhanced TurboFLASH (DCETF) for demonstration of the portal venous system we found that this tech nique showed more liver lesions than T-2 weighted spin echo (T(2)WSE) imaging in the same patients. In this study we have formally compared axial T(2)WSE images (TR 2000, TE 45/90) with TurboFLASH images (TR 13 5, TE 4, FA 80 degrees) acquired immediately after bolus injection of Gd-DTPA (0.1 mmol kg(-1)) in 41 patients referred for hepatic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prior to surgery for liver lesions. The image s of each sequence were independently reviewed by two observers. The l esions were counted and each sequence was scored for conspicuity, leve l of artefact and subjective image quality. Contrast-to-noise ratios u sing user defined regions of interest were calculated. Significantly m ore lesions were seen on DCETF (n = 186) images than on T(2)WSE (n = 1 23) images (p < 0.001). Lesion conspicuity was equal in 53% of cases, better on DCETF in 36% and better on T(2)WSE in 11%. Contrast-to-noise ratios were significantly higher on DCETF images (p < 0.05). DCETF im aging provided a substantial improvement in lesion detection compared with T(2)WSE imaging.