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Ferucarbotran-enhanced T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: differentiation of hepatic cavernous hemangiomas from malignant solid lesions

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Abstract

Background

To demonstrate the characteristic feature of hepatic cavernous hemangiomas on ferucarbotran-enhanced T2-weighted MR imaging as a new diagnostic finding.

Methods

In 201 hepatic lesions (61 hemangiomas, 61 cysts, 41 hepatocellular carcinomas, 31 metastatic carcinomas, and 7 cholangiocarcinomas), lesion-to-liver contrast on ferucarbotran-enhanced T2-weighted images was qualitatively compared with pre-contrast images by three independent readers using a four-grade scale (group 1, marked increase; group 2, mild increase; group 3, no change; group 4, decrease). The change in the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for each lesion was quantitatively measured.

Results

Only hemangiomas showed a significant decrease in CNR; 10% and 90% of the hemangiomas were categorized as group 3 and 4 lesions, respectively. Besides the hemangiomas, there was no other lesion categorized into group 4 except for one cyst. When group 4 lesions were considered hemangiomas, the accuracy of identification was 96.4%.

Conclusion

Hemangiomas show a significant decrease in lesion-to-liver contrast on T2-weighted images after ferucarbotran injection, which might be another typical diagnostic imaging finding of hemangiomas distinguished from solid malignant lesions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, YongDong Severance Hospital and Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 146-92 Dogok-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 135-720, South Korea

    Eun-Suk Cho, Jeong-Sik Yu, Jhii-Hyun Ahn, Joo Hee Kim & Jae-Joon Chung

  2. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Severance Hospital and Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Mi-Suk Park & Ki Whang Kim

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  1. Eun-Suk Cho
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Correspondence to Jeong-Sik Yu.

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Cho, ES., Yu, JS., Ahn, JH. et al. Ferucarbotran-enhanced T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: differentiation of hepatic cavernous hemangiomas from malignant solid lesions. Abdom Imaging 34, 494–501 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-008-9430-6

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