Regenerative nodules in hepatic cirrhosis. Value of gradient-echo MR imaging with a surface coil

To evaluate the accuracy of surface coil gradient-echo (GRE) imaging in the detection of regenerative nodules of hepatic cirrhosis, 53 patients with diffuse liver disease, among whom 31 had cirrhosis, were prospectively investigated. Three GRE sequences acquired with a surface coil were used in the study: a T2*-weighted, a T1-weighted, and a gadopentetate-enhanced sequence. ROC analysis showed that two surface coil GRE sequences were superior to conventional T2-weighted spin-echo imaging acquired with a body coil for the detection of regenerative nodules. The detection of regenerative nodules was also more accurate for the diagnosis of cirrhosis than the measurement of the caudate-to-right lobe ratio. These results suggest that there could be a potential for surface coil GRE imaging in the assessment of the characteristic macroscopic alterations of cirrhosis.