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Superparamagnetic iron oxide enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of rat liver with hepatocellular carcinoma and
1Department of Radiology, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Rationale And Objectives:
The authors assess the potential of a new superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) in grading hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) histologically and in differentiating HCC from benign hyperplastic nodule (HPN).
Methods:
Nine Wistar rats (with poorly to moderately differentiated HCC, well-differentiated HCC, and HPN) received drinking water containing N-nitrosomorpholine, and were examined by magnetic resonance imaging (4.7 tesla). Spin-echo images (repetition time/echo time, 600/24.5 mseconds) were obtained before and 15 minutes after intravenous administration of 10 mumol Fe/kg of SH U 555A.
Results:
Poorly to moderately differentiated and well-differentiated HCC showed no significant change in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) 15 minutes after contrast, whereas HPN showed a significant decrease in SNR. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between each kind of tumor and adjacent liver parenchyma showed a significant increase at 15 minutes after contrast.
Conclusions:
The SPIO discussed in this article may help to differentiate HCC from HPN, but it remains difficult to grade hepatocellular carcinoma histologically.