Gradient- and spin-echo T2-weighted imaging for SPIO-enhanced detection and characterization of focal liver lesions

• Published in: Journal of magnetic resonance imaging Vol. 23; no. 5; pp. 712 - 719
• Main Authors: Yoshikawa, Takeshi, Mitchell, Donald G., Hirota, Shozo, Ohno, Yoshiharu, Oda, Kazushige, Maeda, Takaki, Fujii, Masahiko, Sugimura, Kazuro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.05.2006
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - diagnosis; Colorectal Neoplasms - pathology; contrast agent; Dextrans; Echo-Planar Imaging - methods; Female; Ferrosoferric Oxide; GRASE; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - complications; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Iron; Liver Cirrhosis - diagnosis; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic - diagnosis; liver neoplasms; Liver Neoplasms - diagnosis; Liver Neoplasms - secondary; magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Magnetite Nanoparticles; Male; Middle Aged; Observer Variation; Oxides; pulse sequences; Sensitivity and Specificity; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1053-1807; 1522-2586
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.20572

Purpose To evaluate superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)‐enhanced breathhold T2‐weighted GRASE imaging in detection and characterization of focal liver lesions. Materials and Methods In 30 patients (including 20 with cirrhosis) with 39 malignant and 25 benign lesions, gradient‐ and spin‐echo (GRASE) images with two echo times (75 and 90 msec; GRASE75 and GRASE90) were obtained prior to and following administration of SPIO, and compared with respiratory‐triggered and breathhold fast spin‐echo (RT‐FSE and BH‐FSE) images. Two readers evaluated image quality and reviewed 240 liver segments for sensitivity and specificity. Signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), and its reduction in liver and spleen after administration of SPIO, and lesion‐to‐liver contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) were measured. Results Compared with RT‐FSE and BH‐FSE, GRASE reduced scan time by 77% to 82% and 21% to 27%, respectively. The image qualities with BH‐FSE and GRASE75 were higher than with BH‐FSE and GRASE90. BH‐FSE showed higher specificity than RT‐FSE and GRASE90, but otherwise there were no significant differences between pulse sequences for sensitivity or specificity. The mean SNR and CNR of the lesions with RT‐FSE were significantly higher than with the other methods. SPIO‐induced signal reduction of liver SNR was smallest with BH‐FSE. Conclusion GRASE is faster and more sensitive to SPIO than FSE, but its sensitivity and specificity were slightly inferior to those of BH‐FSE. Image quality is a current limitation. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.