PURPOSE: To retrospectively determine whether the hyperintense hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) seen on the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging (EOB-MRI) might have different histologic characteristics from usual hypointense HCCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred three surgically proven HCCs from 192 patients who underwent preoperative EOB-MRI were analyzed. The demographic and histologic characteristics of hyperintense HCCs were compared with usual hypointense HCCs by using the t-test or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: By visual assessment, 18 (8.8%) tumors were classified as hyperintense HCCs. Patients with hyperintense HCC were significantly (p<0.05) older (60.1 vs. 55.2 years) than those with hypointense HCCs. Hyperintense HCCs showed significantly lower rate of microvascular invasion (27.8% vs. 53.5%) and significantly higher rate of peliosis (61.1% vs. 30.8%). Hyperintense HCCs were more frequently expanding type, and none showed infiltrative type or scirrhous histologic pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperintense HCCs seem to have clinical and histologic features that might be related with more favorable outcomes.
PURPOSE: To retrospectively determine whether the hyperintense hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) seen on the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging (EOB-MRI) might have different histologic characteristics from usual hypointense HCCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred three surgically proven HCCs from 192 patients who underwent preoperative EOB-MRI were analyzed. The demographic and histologic characteristics of hyperintense HCCs were compared with usual hypointense HCCs by using the t-test or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: By visual assessment, 18 (8.8%) tumors were classified as hyperintense HCCs. Patients with hyperintense HCC were significantly (p<0.05) older (60.1 vs. 55.2 years) than those with hypointense HCCs. Hyperintense HCCs showed significantly lower rate of microvascular invasion (27.8% vs. 53.5%) and significantly higher rate of peliosis (61.1% vs. 30.8%). Hyperintense HCCs were more frequently expanding type, and none showed infiltrative type or scirrhous histologic pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperintense HCCs seem to have clinical and histologic features that might be related with more favorable outcomes.
Authors: Paola Erra; Marta Puglia; Alfonso Ragozzino; Simone Maurea; Raffaele Liuzzi; Giuseppe Sabino; Luigi Barbuto; Alberto Cuocolo; Massimo Imbriaco Journal: Radiol Med Date: 2015-04-22 Impact factor: 3.469