Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Dual contrast liver MRI: a pictorial illustration

  • Review
  • Published:
Abdominal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a commonly performed imaging technique with multiple indications and applications. There are two general groups of contrast agents used when imaging the liver, extracellular contrast agents (ECA) and hepatobiliary agents (HBA), each of which has its own advantages and limitations. Liver MRI with ECA provides excellent information on abdominal vasculature and better quality multi-phasic studies for characterization of focal liver lesions. HBA improves lesion detection, provides information regarding liver function and can be helpful for evaluating biliary tree anatomy, excretion, anastomotic stenoses, or leaks. Most liver MRI studies are usually performed with one agent, however in some cases, a second study is performed with another agent to obtain additional information or confirm the findings in the first study. Administering both agents in a single exam can potentially eliminate the need for additional imaging in certain situations. In this pictorial review, the techniques and indications for dual contrast MRI will be detailed with multiple demonstrative examples.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Davenport, M.S., et al., Comparison of acute transient dyspnea after intravenous administration of gadoxetate disodium and gadobenate dimeglumine: effect on arterial phase image quality. Radiology, 2013. 266(2): p. 452-61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Motosugi, U., et al., An Investigation of Transient Severe Motion Related to Gadoxetic Acid-enhanced MR Imaging. Radiology, 2016. 279(1): p. 93-102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Pietryga, J.A., et al., Respiratory motion artifact affecting hepatic arterial phase imaging with gadoxetate disodium: examination recovery with a multiple arterial phase acquisition. Radiology, 2014. 271(2): p. 426-34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Chen, L., et al., Meta-analysis of gadoxetic acid disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of liver metastases. PLoS One, 2012. 7(11): p. e48681.

  5. Grazioli, L., et al., Hepatocellular adenoma and focal nodular hyperplasia: value of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging in differential diagnosis. Radiology, 2012. 262(2): p. 520-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mohajer, K., et al., Characterization of hepatic adenoma and focal nodular hyperplasia with gadoxetic acid. J Magn Reson Imaging, 2012. 36(3): p. 686-96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Motosugi, U., et al., Detection of pancreatic carcinoma and liver metastases with gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging: comparison with contrast-enhanced multi-detector row CT. Radiology, 2011. 260(2): p. 446-53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Frydrychowicz, A., et al., Optimized high-resolution contrast-enhanced hepatobiliary imaging at 3 tesla: a cross-over comparison of gadobenate dimeglumine and gadoxetic acid. J Magn Reson Imaging, 2011. 34(3): p. 585-94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Motosugi, U., et al., Intraindividual Crossover Comparison of Gadoxetic Acid Dose for Liver MRI in Normal Volunteers. Magn Reson Med Sci, 2016. 15(1): p. 60-72.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Bashir, M.R., et al., Optimal timing and diagnostic adequacy of hepatocyte phase imaging with gadoxetate-enhanced liver MRI. Acad Radiol, 2014. 21(6): p. 726-32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Nagle, S.K., et al., High resolution navigated three-dimensional T(1)-weighted hepatobiliary MRI using gadoxetic acid optimized for 1.5 Tesla. J Magn Reson Imaging, 2012. 36(4): p. 890–9.

  12. Grazioli, L., et al., Accurate differentiation of focal nodular hyperplasia from hepatic adenoma at gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MR imaging: prospective study. Radiology, 2005. 236(1): p. 166-77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Bannas, P., et al., Combined gadoxetic acid and gadofosveset enhanced liver MRI for detection and characterization of liver metastases. Eur Radiol, 2017. 27(1): p. 32-40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Bannas, P., et al., Combined gadoxetic acid and gadofosveset enhanced liver MRI: A feasibility and parameter optimization study. Magn Reson Med, 2016. 75(1): p. 318-28.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Knobloch, G., et al., Combined gadoxetic acid and gadobenate dimeglumine enhanced liver MRI: a parameter optimization study. Abdom Radiol (NY), 2020. 45(1): p. 220-231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kim, S.Y., et al., Transient respiratory motion artifact during arterial phase MRI with gadoxetate disodium: risk factor analyses. AJR Am J Roentgenol, 2015. 204(6): p. 1220-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kim, H.J., et al., Incremental value of liver MR imaging in patients with potentially curable colorectal hepatic metastasis detected at CT: a prospective comparison of diffusion-weighted imaging, gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging, and a combination of both MR techniques. Radiology, 2015. 274(3): p. 712-22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Sibinga Mulder, B.G., et al., Gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging significantly influences the clinical course in patients with colorectal liver metastases. BMC Med Imaging, 2018. 18(1): p. 44.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tirumani, S.H., et al., Value of hepatocellular phase imaging after intravenous gadoxetate disodium for assessing hepatic metastases from gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: comparison with other MRI pulse sequences and with extracellular agent. Abdom Radiol (NY), 2018. 43(9): p. 2329-2339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kwon, S., et al., Surgical management of hepatocellular carcinoma after Fontan procedure. J Gastrointest Oncol, 2015. 6(3): p. E55-60.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Wells, M.L., et al., Benign nodules in post-Fontan livers can show imaging features considered diagnostic for hepatocellular carcinoma. Abdom Radiol (NY), 2017. 42(11): p. 2623-2631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Frydrychowicz, A., et al., Gadoxetic acid-enhanced T1-weighted MR cholangiography in primary sclerosing cholangitis. J Magn Reson Imaging, 2012. 36(3): p. 632-40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Kinner, S., et al., Added value of gadoxetic acid-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance cholangiography for the diagnosis of post-transplant biliary complications. Eur Radiol, 2017. 27(10): p. 4415-4425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. McDonald, R.J., et al., Intracranial Gadolinium Deposition after Contrast-enhanced MR Imaging. Radiology, 2015. 275(3): p. 772-82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Christopher L. Welle, Sudhakar K. Venkatesh, Wendaline M. VanBuren, Michael L. Wells, Shannon P. Sheedy & Jeff L. Fidler

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA

    Scott B. Reeder

Authors
  1. Christopher L. Welle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sudhakar K. Venkatesh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Scott B. Reeder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wendaline M. VanBuren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Michael L. Wells
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Shannon P. Sheedy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Jeff L. Fidler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sudhakar K. Venkatesh.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Author KP is an employee of Resoundant, Inc. The other authors declare they have no financial interests.

Ethical approval

No ethics approval was needed.

Research involving human and/or animal participants

This review article did not involve any research involving human participants and/or animals.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Welle, C.L., Venkatesh, S.K., Reeder, S.B. et al. Dual contrast liver MRI: a pictorial illustration. Abdom Radiol 46, 4588–4600 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-021-03129-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-021-03129-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation