Characterization of the arterial enhancement pattern of focal liver lesions by multiple arterial phase magnetic resonance imaging: comparison between hepatocellular carcinoma and focal nodular hyperplasia

Purpose To evaluate the features of arterial enhancement pattern of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by triple-phase arterial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods Data were retrospectively collected from 52 consecutive patients who underwent triple-phase arterial MRI using hepatocyte-specific contrast agents (Gd-EOB-DTPA) from January 2017 to October 2017, with a MR imaging diagnosis of HCC or FNH. The images were independently assessed by two blinded readers. Contrast enhancement ratio (CER) and liver-to-lesion contrast ratio (LLCR) were calculated. The lesions were classified visually and also based on the peak of LLCR into the following groups: (1) early arterial, (2) middle arterial and (3) late arterial. Data were eventually analysed using nonparametric tests. Results The CER analysis showed no significant difference between HCC and FNH patients ( p > 0.05). LLCR FNH were significantly higher than LLCR HCC in the early arterial ( p = 0.01), but not in the middle and late arterial phases ( p = 0.20 and p = 0.82, respectively). LLCR HCC presented a meaningful increase from early to middle arterial phase ( p = 0.009), whereas LLCR FNH showed a decrease from middle to late arterial phase ( p = 0.004). Based on the peak of LLCR, 17 (55%) FNHs were classified into early, 11 (35%) in middle and only 3 (10%) in late arterial phase groups. Similarly, 14 (34%) HCCs were categorized into early, 13 (32%) in middle and 14 (33%) in late arterial phase groups. There was a good agreement between qualitative analysis and LLCR in 85% of cases. Conclusion The optimal visualization of FNH has been detected in early and middle arterial phases while HCC has been best observed during middle and late arterial phases.