A Nishie1, D Kakihara2, Y Asayama2, Y Ushijima2, Y Takayama3, N Fujita2, D Shimamoto2, K Shirabe4, T Hida5, H Honda2. 1. Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. Electronic address: anishie@radiol.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp. 2. Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. 3. Department of Molecular Imaging and Diagnosis, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. 4. Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. 5. Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
Abstract
AIM: To clarify the detectability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI at 3 T with dual-source parallel radiofrequency (RF) excitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with 26 HCCs who each underwent multidetector row CT (MDCT), gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI with dual-source parallel RF excitation, and angiography-assisted CT prior to living related-liver transplantation. Three blinded readers independently reviewed the images obtained by each imaging technique for the presence of HCC on a segment-by-segment basis using a five-point confidence scale. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (Az), sensitivity, and specificity were compared among the three techniques. RESULTS: The Az values of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI were highest for all readers, although no significant difference in Az value among the three methods was obtained. No significant differences in sensitivity or specificity were observed among the three techniques for each reader. CONCLUSION: Gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI at 3 T with dual-source parallel RF excitation has relatively high-level diagnostic potential for the detection of HCC in patients with severe liver dysfunction, which was equivalent to that of MDCT and angiography-assisted CT. Dual-source parallel RF excitation would have a clinical impact on 3 T MRI of the liver.
AIM: To clarify the detectability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI at 3 T with dual-source parallel radiofrequency (RF) excitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with 26 HCCs who each underwent multidetector row CT (MDCT), gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI with dual-source parallel RF excitation, and angiography-assisted CT prior to living related-liver transplantation. Three blinded readers independently reviewed the images obtained by each imaging technique for the presence of HCC on a segment-by-segment basis using a five-point confidence scale. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (Az), sensitivity, and specificity were compared among the three techniques. RESULTS: The Az values of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI were highest for all readers, although no significant difference in Az value among the three methods was obtained. No significant differences in sensitivity or specificity were observed among the three techniques for each reader. CONCLUSION:Gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI at 3 T with dual-source parallel RF excitation has relatively high-level diagnostic potential for the detection of HCC in patients with severe liver dysfunction, which was equivalent to that of MDCT and angiography-assisted CT. Dual-source parallel RF excitation would have a clinical impact on 3 T MRI of the liver.