Current Research in MRI
Original Article

Correlation of Qualitative and Quantitative Characteristics of Contrast-Enhanced Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Hepatospecific Contrast Agent Gadoxetic Acid (Primovist) and Histopathological Differentiations in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

1.

Department of Radiology, Çukurova University, Faculty of Medicine, Adana, Turkey

2.

Department Medical Pathology, Çukurova University, Faculty of Medicine, Adana, Turkey

3.

Department of Radiology, İstanbul Medipol University Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

Curr Res MRI 2022; 1: 71-78
DOI: 10.5152/CurrResMRI.2022.222241
Read: 562 Downloads: 141 Published: 20 February 2023

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between qualitative and quantitative characteristics of contrast-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with hepatospecific contrast agent gadoxetic acid (primovist) and histopathological differentiations in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: This study included 32 consecutive naïve patients with needle biopsy-proven hepatocellular carcinoma. All patients were divided into 2 groups: those with well-differentiated tumors and those with moderately/poorly differentiated tumors. Pre-contrast and post-contrast signal intensities, relative signal intensity ratios, and enhancement ratios of tumors were determined during the hepatobiliary phase of magnetic resonance imaging.

Results: There were no significant differences between 2 groups regarding patients’ age (P = .657), gender (P=.589), chronic hepatitis etiology (P = .665), α-fetoprotein levels (P = .156), Child-Pugh classes (P = .166), contrast-enhancing pattern (P = .479), visually registered signal intensities (P = .228), and mean pre-contrast relative signal intensity ratios (P = .444). Mean post-contrast relative signal intensity ratios and enhancement ratios of well-differentiated tumors were significantly higher compared to moderately/poorly differentiated tumors’ values (P = .017 and P = .014, respectively). The test power of quantitative properties was calculated as good (area under curve for post-contrast relative signal intensity ratio by 0.74, sensitivity by 73%, and specificity by 76%; area under curve for enhancement ratio by 0.71, sensitivity by 82%, and specificity by 76%)).

Conclusion: The quantitative but not qualitative parameters of hepatocellular carcinoma detected during hepatobiliary phase of contrast-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with gadoxetic acid (primovist) may provide objective and predictive information in terms of the differentiation between welldifferentiated and moderately/poorly differentiated tumors.

Cite this article as: Aikimbaev K, Tuğsan Ballı H, Eren Erdoğan et. al. Correlation of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of contrast-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with hepatospecific contrast agent gadoxetic acid (primovist) and histopathological differentiations in hepatocellular carcinoma. Current Research in MRI. 2022;1(3):71-78.

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