Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging In The Detection Of Malignant Liver Lesions

Objective: To determine the value of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced MR imaging in malignant liver lesions.Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with various hepatic masses or metastases were investigated with 1 tesla MR. T1-weighted FLASH and double- echo TSE T2-weighted sequences were applied before and after contrast injection. “Defining statistics” were prepared according to pre and postcontrast signal intensity measurements. Results: In this study there were 11 patients with metastases, 4 patients with hemangioma, 4 patients with HCC and one patient with a hemangioma and a metastasis at the same time. In cases wheret we found only hemangiomas, in all sequences, S/N ratios (p=0.043) and T2-weighted double-echo TSE with long TE SI change (p=0.043) were significant. While in the hemangiomas in T2-weighted double-echo TSE with long TE there is an decrease in the C/N ratios; in cases with metastasis and HCC, compared to other sequences significant increase in C/N ratio in T2-weighted double-echo TSE with short TE sequences was detected.Conclusion: SPIO-enhanced MR imaging can be used as a non-invasive radiologic technique for the detection focal liver lesions, to determine the number of lesions and also has a value in differentiating the benign lesions (especially hemangiomas) from primary tumors or metastatic malignant lesions.