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Published in: Japanese Journal of Radiology 12/2013

01-12-2013 | Original Article

Detecting hepatocellular carcinoma in gadoxetic-acid-enhanced hepatobiliary-phase MR imaging at 3T: comparing high and low flip angle

Authors: Mina Song, Hyeon Je Cho, Yun Ku Cho, Mi Young Kim, Sang Ik Noh, Soo Hyun Yang

Published in: Japanese Journal of Radiology | Issue 12/2013

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Abstract

Purpose

We evaluated the diagnostic performance of fat-suppressed 3D T1-weighted gradient-echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences for the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic-acid-enhanced liver MRI between low and high flip angle (FA) at 3T.

Materials and methods

Forty-six patients with 62 HCCs were enrolled in this retrospective study from among 267 consecutive patients who underwent 3T MRI with low and high FA (10° and 25°) sequences at the hepatobiliary phase. A radiologist measured signal intensities and standard deviations (SD) of lesion, liver, and spleen and calculated signal-to-noise ratio, liver–spleen contrast, and liver–lesion contrast. Two reviewers assessed both image sequences using a five-point rating scale focusing on detecting hypointense lesions.

Results

The high FA sequence showed significantly higher liver–spleen and liver–lesion contrast compared with those of low FA (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, respectively). Per-lesion sensitivities of high FA were higher than those of low FA (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, respectively), and per-person sensitivities were elevated on high FA (p < 0.05 in a reviewer). There were statistically significant differences for detecting HCCs larger than 1 cm (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, respectively).

Conclusion

Increasing FA in T1-weighted hepatobiliary-phase liver MRI may help in detecting HCC at 3T.
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Metadata
Title
Detecting hepatocellular carcinoma in gadoxetic-acid-enhanced hepatobiliary-phase MR imaging at 3T: comparing high and low flip angle
Authors
Mina Song
Hyeon Je Cho
Yun Ku Cho
Mi Young Kim
Sang Ik Noh
Soo Hyun Yang
Publication date
01-12-2013
Publisher
Springer Japan
Published in
Japanese Journal of Radiology / Issue 12/2013
Print ISSN: 1867-1071
Electronic ISSN: 1867-108X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-013-0255-z

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