FOCAL HEPATIC MASSES - COMPARISON OF DETECTION DURING ARTERIAL PORTOGRAPHY WITH MR-IMAGING AND CT

PURPOSE: A prospective study was performed to compare the sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomogr aphy (CT) both performed during arterial portography in depicting foca l hepatic masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with 31 patho logically proved focal hepatic masses were prospectively evaluated. MR arterial portography was performed with 4 mL of a 0.5 mmol/kg solutio n of gadolinium tetraazacyclododecanetetraacetic acid (DOTA) injected through a catheter into the superior mesenteric artery during multisec tion gradient-echo imaging. RESULTS: MR arterial portography depicted 29 of the 31 masses (sensitivity, 94%). CT arterial portography depict ed 27 of the 31 masses (sensitivity, 87%). Two masses not depicted wit h either CT or MR had a diameter of 3 and 7 mm, respectively. Neither MR nor CT demonstrated a false-positive finding (specificity, 100%). T he difference in sensitivity and specificity between the two technique s was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: MR arterial portograp hy does not enable detection of significantly more focal hepatic masse s than does CT arterial portography.