PURPOSETo determine the differences in enhancement pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during first 5 minutes of post-contrast phases MRI with gadoxetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) versus gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) using the FDA approved doses.
METHODS AND MATERIALS95 patients with HCC were examined on 1.5 T scanner; 74 patients with Gd-BOPTA and 21 with Gd-EOB-DTPA. Using the same MRI parameters, post-contrast imaging was performed at pre-contrast, arterial, portal venous, equilibrium, and 5 minute delayed phases. Gd-EOB-DTPA was administered at a dose of 0.025 mmol/kg body weight and Gd-BOPTA at a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg body weight. Both agents were injected at rate of 2 mL/sec and arterial phase was timed by using bolus-triggering software. The contrast-tonoise ratio (CNR) was calculated by (SI lesion -SI liver )/SD background . (SD=Standard Deviation, SI=signal intensity)
RESULTSMean CNRs were not statistically significant different in arterial (p=0.3), portal venous (p=0