A retrospective analysis of the accuracy of T2-weighted images and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced sequences in the detection and characterization of focal hepatic lesions

The aim of this study was to determine the relative ability of T2‐weighted and dynamic gadolinium‐enhanced T1‐weighted gradient‐echo sequences to detect and characterize focal hepatic lesions. We retrospectively studied 37 patients with proven focal hepatic lesions using the following sequences: a T1‐weighted spin‐echo sequence (T1), a T2‐weighted sequence (T2), and a series of breath‐hold dynamic gadolinium‐enhanced T1‐weighted gradient‐echo sequences (Gd). Two observers were asked to determine retrospectively the number and type of focal hepatic lesions present using images from three combinations of sequences (T1+T2, T1+Gd, T1+T2+Gd). Proof of the number and diagnosis of focal lesions in each patient was established using a consensus read. Both readers detected more focal lesions when both the T2‐weighted sequences and the gadolinium‐enhanced sequences were available than on either sequence alone, although this improvement reached statistical significance (P < 0.05) only for one of the readers. There was no significant difference (P < 0.05) in the ability to characterize lesions between any of the sets of sequences. The combination of dynamic gadolinium‐enhanced images and T2‐weighted images was shown to assess focal hepatic lesions better than either of these sequences alone.J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;9:266–273. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.