MR imaging patterns of gadolinium retention within liver neoplasms

To determine the spectrum of appearances of gadolinium retention within cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and other liver neoplasms.

Two hundred ten patients underwent hepatic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1.5 T with precontrast T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo (SE) images and delayed Gd-DTPA- or gadoteridol- (0.1 mmol/kg) enhanced T1-weighted SE images. Postcontrast images were evaluated for lesions suspicious for tumors, and lesion signal intensity was characterized as homogeneously or heterogeneously hypo-, iso-, mildly hyper-, or markedly hyperintense to liver. Data from 94 patients with benign or malignant neoplasms are presented.

Imaging demonstrated 237 malignant neoplasms (121 hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC], 26 CCA, 17 colon carcinoma metastases, 73 other tumors) and 28 benign neoplasms (22 hemangioma, six focal nodular hyperplasia [FNH]). One hundred forty malignant lesions appeared as homogeneous postcontrast (29 hypointense, 75 isointense, 17 mildly hyperintense, 19 markedly hyperintense) and 97 as heterogeneous (15 isointense, 50 mildly hyperintense, 32 markedly hyperintense). Malignant lesions showing homogeneous, mildly or markedly hyperintense signal intensity postcontrast included 10 CCA, seven HCC, six epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, eight neuroendocrine tumor metastases, three adenocarcinoma metastases of unknown origin, and one breast carcinoma metastasis. Hemangiomas appeared as homogeneous postcontrast in 19 lesions (six isointense, one mildly hyperintense, 12 markedly hyperintense) and as heterogeneous in three lesions (markedly hyperintense). FNH appeared as homogeneous postcontrast in one lesion (isointense) and as heterogeneous in five lesions (one isointense, four mildly hyperintense).

Homogeneous gadolinium retention on delayed postcontrast images of malignant hepatic neoplasms is seen in a high percentage of CCA lesions and less commonly with other neoplasms.