Contrast enhancement with Gd-EOB-DTPA in MR imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma in mice: a comparison with superparamagnetic iron oxide

• Published in: Journal of magnetic resonance imaging Vol. 6; no. 3; p. 472
• Main Authors: Fujita, M, Yamamoto, R, Fritz-Zieroth, B, Yamanaka, T, Takahashi, M, Miyazawa, T, Tatsuta, M, Terada, N, Hosomi, N, Inoue, E, Kuroda, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.05.1996
• Subjects: Animals; Contrast Media; Ferrosoferric Oxide; Gadolinium DTPA; Image Enhancement; Iron; Liver - pathology; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - diagnosis; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - pathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Organometallic Compounds; Oxides; Pentetic Acid - analogs & derivatives; Sensitivity and Specificity
• ISSN: 1053-1807
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.1880060310

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of the new liver-specific magnetic resonance contrast agent gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) to detect hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Seventeen mice with 66 chemically induced HCCs underwent magnetic resonance imaging with both Gd-EOB-DTPA (30 mumol/kg) and superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO; 10 mumol/kg). After enhancement, lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) of 47 detected HCCs increased negatively from 3.7 +/- 10.7 (mean +/- SD) to -55.1 +/- 25.8 with Gd-EOB-DTPA (P < .001) and increased positively from 10.4 +/- 10.4 to 26.1 +/- 16.3 with SPIO (P < .001). The improvement of CNR after administration of SPIO was less in smaller lesions (< 4 mm), whereas that after administration of Gd-EOB-DTPA was independent of lesion size. However, Gd-EOB-DTPA positively enhanced four HCCs (8.5%), both highly differentiated (grade 1) and moderately differentiated (grade 2). Gd-EOB-DTPA allows the conspicuous detection of small HCCs; however, moderately differentiated HCCs occasionally may be positively enhanced.