Focal liver disease: comparison of breath-hold T1-weighted MP-GRE MR imaging and contrast-enhanced CT--lesion detection, localization, and characterization.

Abstract

To compare breath-hold T1-weighted magnetization-prepared gradient-echo (MP-GRE) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with contrast material-enhanced computed tomography (CT) in the assessment of focal liver disease. The MR and CT images obtained in 64 patients with focal liver disease were reviewed by six independent reviewers in a randomized, blinded fashion. Sets of axial T1-weighted MP-GRE images, three-plane (a compilation of axial, sagittal, and coronal) T1-weighted MP-GRE images, and contrast-enhanced CT scans were analyzed. T2-weighted spin-echo (SE) MR images were also compared with CT scans. Lesions were detected, localized, and characterized more accurately and generally with greater confidence with three-plane T1-weighted MP-GRE imaging than with CT (P < .01). Axial T1-weighted MP-GRE imaging was also superior (P < .05) to CT (although slightly less superior than three-plane imaging) except in the characterization of specific lesions, where both techniques were equal. T2-weighted SE MR imaging and CT were about equal. Lesion detection, localization, and characterization are performed more accurately and confidently with breath-hold T1-weighted MP-GRE imaging than with contrast-enhanced CT, particularly when breath-hold images are obtained in three planes.