[Contrast medium behavior of epithelial skin tumors and tumor-like changes in high resolution magnetic resonance...

To evaluate the use of Gd-DTPA in imaging epithelial skin tumors and tumor-like lesions, 29 benign, 8 malignant and 4 semimalignant skin tumors were prospectively examined by high-resolution MRI at 1.5 Tesla using a 2.5-cm surface coil. For tumor assessment, transverse plain and contrast-enhanced scans (0.1 mmol Gd-DTPA/kg body mass) were performed (TR 500 ms, TE 25 ms, 3 acquisitions, 256 x 256 matrix, FOV 2.5 cm). Contrast enhancement was quantitively determined as the percent enhancement of signal intensity. Histologic findings were correlated using the Mann-Whitney-test (p < 0.05). Quality of contrast enhancement was independently assessed by three investigators, who mostly described inhomogeneous enhancement, regardless of histologic findings. Malignant tumors could not be differentiated from benign lesions by contrast enhancement. MRI using Gd-DTPA does not provide differentiation of skin tumor types.