Added value of hepatobiliary phase gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI for diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma in high-risk patients

Figure 1 Magnetic resonance images from a 77-year-old woman with hepatitis B virus cirrhosis. A liver nodule at segment VII was surgically confirmed as hepatocellular carcinoma. Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriaminepentaacetic -enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) arterial phase images depicting a 1.9-cm arterial enhanced nodule (A) with rapid washout on the equilibrium phase image (B). C: Hyperintensity on a T2-weighted MR image; D: Hypointensity on a 20-min hepatobiliary phase image.

Figure 2 Magnetic resonance images from a 59-year-old woman with hepatocellular carcinoma at hepatic segment VI. This patient underwent transhepatic arterial chemoembolization, and the 6-wk follow-up computerized tomography scan revealed lipiodol staining in the lesion. A and B: Arterial phase and portal venous phase images; C: T2-weighted magnetic resonance image with no definite focal lesion; D: The hepatobiliary phase image revealed a 1.0-cm discrete nodule that was not visible on the dynamic or T2-weighted images.

Figure 3 Magnetic resonance images from a 54-year-old man with a 1. 4-cm hepatocellular carcinoma with liver-specific contrast uptake at segment VII. This nodule was confirmed by tissue biopsy to be a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. Arterial enhanced nodule (A) without washout on the portal venous (B) phase images; C: A slightly hyperintense nodule with a hypointense capsule on a T2-weighted magnetic resonance image; D: Hepatobiliary phase image illustrating the hyperintense nodule.