INFLUENCE OF COPPER ON MRI OF HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

The purpose of this paper is to clarify whether copper accumulation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a cause of high intensity signal pa ttern on T1-welghted images (TI-WI) by comparing the histologically pr oven copper accumulation with MR images, Forty-five surgically resecte d HCCs were analyzed, Distribution patterns of divalent copper by a mo dified Timm's method on their maximum cut surfaces were compared with signal patterns on corresponding T1-WI, The degree of copper accumulat ion in tumor compared with surrounding liver tissue was higher in 6 le sions, equal in 17 lesions, and lower in 22 lesions. High intensity pa ttern on T1-WI were observed in 3 of 6 lesions (50%), 10 of 17 lesions (59%), and 10 of 22 lesions (45%), Distribution patterns of copper we re not correlated with intensity patterns on TI-WI, We conclude that t he paramagnetic effect of divalent copper accumulation in HCC is insuf ficient to influence the MRI.