Brief Article
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 14, 2011; 17(30): 3503-3509
Published online Aug 14, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i30.3503
Diagnostic efficacy of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI for hepatocellular carcinoma and dysplastic nodule
Kazuhiro Saito, Fuminori Moriyasu, Katsutoshi Sugimoto, Ryota Nishio, Toru Saguchi, Toshitaka Nagao, Junichi Taira, Soichi Akata, Koichi Tokuuye
Kazuhiro Saito, Ryota Nishio, Toru Saguchi, Soichi Akata, Koichi Tokuuye, Department of Radiology, Tokyo Medical University, 160-0023 Tokyo, Japan
Fuminori Moriyasu, Katsutoshi Sugimoto, Junichi Taira, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 160-0023 Tokyo, Japan
Toshitaka Nagao, Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Tokyo Medical University, 160-0023 Tokyo, Japan
Author contributions: Saito K, Moriyasu F and Sugimoto K designed the research; Nishio R, Saguchi T, Nagao T and Taira J performed research; Saito K analyzed the data; and Saito K wrote the paper. Akata S and Tokuuye K gave final approval of the version to be published.
Correspondence to: Dr. Kazuhiro Saito, Department of Radiology, Tokyo Medical University, 160-0023 Tokyo, Japan. saito-k@tokyo-med.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-3-33426111 Fax: +81-3-33486314
Received: August 31, 2010
Revised: March 7, 2011
Accepted: March 14, 2011
Published online: August 14, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the relationship between the signal intensity of hepatobiliary phase images on gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological grade.

METHODS: Fifty-nine patients with 82 hepatocellular lesions were evaluated retrospectively. Hepatobiliary phase images on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI were classified into 3 groups: low, iso or high. Angiography-assisted computed tomography (CT) findings were also classified into 3 groups: CT during arterial portography, and CT hepatic arteriography: A: iso, iso or low; B: slightly low, iso or low; and C: low, high. We correlated angiography-assisted CT, hepatobiliary phase findings during gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI and histological grades. Furthermore, correlations between MRI findings and histological grade for each hemodynamic pattern were performed. Correlations among radiological and pathological findings were statistically evaluated using the chi-square test and Fisher’ s exact test.

RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between histological grade and hemodynamic pattern (P < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between histological grade and signal intensity in the hepatobiliary phase (P < 0.05) in group A lesions. There was no significant correlation between histological grade and signal intensity in the hepatobiliary phase in group B or C lesions (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Signal intensity in the hepatobiliary phase correlated with histological grade in the lesions that maintained portal blood flow, but did not correlate in lesions that showed decreased or defective portal blood flow.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Gd-EOB-DTPA, Gadoxetic acid, Primovist, Early hepatocellular carcinoma