Gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging: value of hepatobiliary phase for the detection of focal liver lesions.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to determine the value of addition of hepatobiliary phase to dynamic gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA)-enhanced imaging for the detection of focal liver lesions (nodules with diameter ≤3.0 cm).

METHODS

Routine nonenhanced magnetic resonance images were obtained in 25 patients with focal liver lesions suggested by ultrasonography and/or computed tomography.T1-weighted dynamic gradient-echo images were acquired immediately and 100 minutes after bolus injection of Gd-BOPTA. The number of the lesions detected by T1-weighted imaging, T2-weighted imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, dynamic contrast-enhanced, and delayed hepatobiliary-phase imaging was counted, respectively. Contrast-to-noise ratios were measured for all the sequences including delayed hepatobiliary-phase imaging. The signal intensity and morphologic features of liver parenchyma and lesions were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

There were 7 patients with hepatocellular carcinomas, 6 with hemangiomas, 7 with metastases, and 5 with cholangiocarcinomas. The delayed hepatobiliary-phase imaging showed a homogeneous enhancement of liver parenchyma and distinctive enhancement features of focal liver lesions. The delayed hepatobiliary-phase imaging was better than diffusion-weighted imaging for the detection of focal liver lesions (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The addition of hepatobiliary-phase imaging to Gd-BOPTA-enhanced dynamic imaging increased the sensitivity and accuracy for the detection of focal hepatic lesions.