Paradoxical high signal intensity of hepatocellular carcinoma in the hepatobiliary phase of Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI: Initial experience

Seun Ah Lee, Chang Hee Lee, Woon Yong Jung, Jongmee Lee, Jae Woong Choi, Kyeong Ah Kim, Cheol Min Park

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the paradoxical high signal intensity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the hepatobiliary phase on gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: A database search was performed to identify cases of HCC that showed unusual prolonged enhancement in the hepatobiliary phase of Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI. All patients received 3.0-T liver MRI including precontrast T1-weighted images, T2-weighted images and a post Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced dynamic study. The signal intensity of HCC was measured at pre-enhanced, arterial, portal, delayed and hepatobiliary phase using regions of interest. Radiologic and pathologic correlation was performed for the paradoxically prolonged enhancing portion of HCC in the hepatobiliary phase. Results: Four patients (all male, age range 44-70; mean 57.5 years) were included in this study. All patients showed HCC lesions that were low signal intensity (SI) on T1-WI, high SI on T2-WI, enhanced in arterial phase, and washed-out in delayed phase. All cases showed paradoxically high SI in hepatobiliary phase, which was unusual for HCC. Pathologically, they were all diagnosed as well-differentiated HCC with prominent cytoplasm and a bile secreting appearance. Conclusion: HCC may demonstrate the prolonged high signal intensity at the hepatobiliary phase on Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI. These HCCs tended to be highly differentiated and to have prominent bile secretion.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)83-90
Number of pages8
JournalMagnetic Resonance Imaging
Volume29
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011 Jan
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Gadoxetic acid
  • Gd-EOB-DTPA
  • Green hepatoma
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
  • Liver
  • MRI

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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