Abstract.
The differentiation of hemangioma from other hepatic neoplasms using MRI usually relies on the evaluation of heavily T2-weighted images. The aim of this study was to assess the value of T2-relaxation times calculated from moderately T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequence in characterization of focal hepatic lesions, including hepatic malignancies, focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), hemangioma, and cyst. Fifty-two patients with 114 proven lesions (61 malignant masses, 6 focal nodular hyperplasias, 28 hemangiomas, 19 cystic lesions) were examined on 1.5-T system using a double-echo TSE sequence (TR=1800 ms; TEeff 1=40 ms; TEeff 2=120 ms). Signal intensities (SI) of the liver as well as SI of all lesions were measured, and then the T2-relaxation times were calculated. The mean T2 time for the liver was 54 ms (±8 ms), for FNH 66 ms (±7 ms), for malignant hepatic lesions 85 ms (±17 ms), for hemangiomas 155 ms (±35 ms), and for cystic lesions 583 ms (±369) ms. Most malignant hepatic lesions were best differentiated between the thresholds of 67 and 116 ms, generating a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 94%. There were six false-negative diagnoses of malignant tumor and three false-positive cases (two hemangiomas and one FNH). Calculation of the T2-relaxation times obtained from the double-echo TSE sequence with moderate T2-weighting allowed differentiation between malignant and benign hepatic lesions with high sensitivity and specificity.
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Cieszanowski, A., Szeszkowski, W., Golebiowski, M. et al. Discrimination of benign from malignant hepatic lesions based on their T2-relaxation times calculated from moderately T2-weighted turbo SE sequence. Eur Radiol 12, 2273–2279 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-002-1366-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-002-1366-6