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Feasibility of blood oxygenation level-dependent MRI at 3T in the characterization of hepatic tumors

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Abstract

Purpose

To determine the feasibility of using blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) MRI in the characterization of hepatic tumors.

Methods

A total of 100 patients with 43 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 36 metastases, 17 cholangiocarcinomas, and 23 hemangiomas underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced and BOLD MRI at 3T. BOLD MRI was performed using a multiple fast-field echo sequence (TR/TE, 290/10–28; slice thickness 5 mm) to generate 20 T2*-weighted images. The T2* value of each tumor were calculated. On a color-coded T2* map, tumors were classified into five categories of high signal intensity (strong, moderate, rim, mild) and iso-intensity, which was correlated with the enhancement pattern on dynamic phases by two observers.

Results

The mean T2* value (ms) of hemangiomas (97.3 ± 20.2) was the highest, followed by HCCs (48.4 ± 12.7), metastases (37.1 ± 10.5), and cholangiocarcinomas (36.6 ± 11.1). These values were significantly different (hemangioma vs. others tumors and HCC vs. metastasis or cholangiocarcinoma) (P ≤ 0.001). The agreement between the T2* color map and dynamic images was moderate for all tumors (k = 0.544), good for tumors >2.0 cm (k = 0.666), and fair for tumors ≤2.0 cm (k = 0.334). With the gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI used as a reference, the sensitivities of BOLD MRI (T2* color map) for displaying hypervascularity of HCC (categories of 1–3) were 81.0 % (n = 34/42) and 78.6 % (n = 33/42) for both observers.

Conclusion

Liver BOLD MRI has a potential to predict the vascular pattern of hepatic tumors.

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Conflict of interest

All the authors had no relevant financial interests or personal affiliations in connection with the content of this manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Hyun Jeong Park

    Present address: Department of Radiology, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Hyun Jeong Park, Young Kon Kim, Ji Hye Min, Won Jae Lee, Dongil Choi & Hyunchul Rhim

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  1. Hyun Jeong Park
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  2. Young Kon Kim
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  3. Ji Hye Min
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Correspondence to Young Kon Kim.

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Park, H.J., Kim, Y.K., Min, J.H. et al. Feasibility of blood oxygenation level-dependent MRI at 3T in the characterization of hepatic tumors. Abdom Imaging 39, 142–152 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-013-0044-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-013-0044-2

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