Hepatic lesions: Discrimination of nonsolid, benign lesions from solid, malignant lesions with heavily T2-weighted fast spin-echo MR imaging

Katsuyoshi Ito, Donald G. Mitchell, Eric K. Outwater, Janio Szklaruk, Ahmed G. Sadek

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

90 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine whether the combined use of heavily and moderately T2-weighted fast spin-echo magnetic resonance (MR) images improves differentiation of nonsolid, benign hepatic lesions from solid malignancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three radiologists reviewed moderately (n = 133) and heavily (n = 133) T2-weighted and multiphasic dynamic contrast material- enhanced (n = 93) MR images in 133 patients with proved focal hepatic lesions (93 benign, 38 malignant). The radiologists used a five-point scale to rate their confidence in determination of malignancy. RESULTS: All three reviewers were statistically significantly better able to differentiate small (diameter less than 3 cm; n = 84) benignancies from small malignancies with the combination of moderately and heavily T2-weighted images (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.99 for each reader) than with moderately T2-weighted images alone (area, 0.88-0.90; P<.05). Confident diagnoses were rendered in 69 (82%) patients, with 100% accuracy for the combined use of moderately and heavily T2-weighted images. For larger lesions (diameter 3 cm or larger; n = 49), accurate differentiation was possible with moderately T2-weighted images alone. Additional use of multiphasic images did not improve the sensitivity, specificity, or accuracy of image interpretation. CONCLUSION: The combined use of moderately and heavily T2- weighted fast spin-echo MR images improves differentiation of small benign hepatic lesions from small malignant lesions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)729-737
Number of pages9
JournalRadiology
Volume204
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1997
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Liver neoplasms
  • Liver neoplasms, diagnosis
  • Liver, MR
  • Magnetic resonance (MR), pulse sequences

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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