DYNAMIC SPIN-ECHO IMAGING WITH GD-DTPA - VALUE IN THE DIFFERENTIATION OF HEPATIC-TUMORS

Thirty patients with hemangiomas (n=6), benign liver cell tumors (n=7), and primary or metastatic malignant tumors of the liver (n=17) underwent dynamic MR imaging with Gd-DTPA to determine the value of the procedure in the differentiation of hepatic tumors. The diagnoses were proved by histology or follow-up. Hemangiomas had a significantly greater mean T2 value (192.1 ± 34.8 msec) than did both benign liver cell tumors (71.9 ± 16.9 msec; p < .01) and primary or metastatic malignant tumors (79.7 ± 21.2 msec; p < .01), but the T2 values of benign liver cell tumors and malignant tumors were not significantly different. Both hemangiomas and benign liver cell tumors had a significantly greater mean signal-intensity ratio (1.86 ± 0.60 and 1.77 ± 0.26, respectively) than did malignant tumors (1.04 ± 0.34; p < .01) in the early phase after Gd-DTPA administration, and hemangiomas had a significantly greater signal-intensity ratio (1.59 ± 0.21) than did both benign liver cell tumors (1.21 ± 0.08; p < .01) and malignant tumors (1.06 ± 0.26; p < .01) in the delayed phase. These results suggest that dynamic MR images obtained after administration of Gd-DTPA are useful in differentiating hepatic hemangiomas, benign liver cell tumors, and malignant liver lesions.