Effect of increasing the flip angle during the hepatocyte phase of gadobenate dimeglumine‐enhanced 1.5T MRI in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of increasing the flip angle during the hepatocyte phase of gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sixty-three patients with liver cirrhosis underwent gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced 1.5T MRI with 90-minute delayed hepatocyte phase with flip angles of 10°, 20°, 30°, consecutively. Relative enhancement and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of liver parenchyma at hepatocyte phase according to flip angle were calculated. The liver-to-lesion (low signal intensity HCCs, n = 63; ≥1 cm) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) at the hepatocyte phase according to flip angle were calculated. Two radiologists independently assessed the presence of HCCs using a 5-point scale, and detection sensitivity of HCCs was calculated according to flip angle. The relative enhancement of hepatic parenchyma differed significantly according to flip angle (10°, mean relative enhancement = 0.69 ± 0.46; 20°, mean relative enhancement = 0.63 ± 0.47; 30°, mean relative enhancement = 0.49 ± 0.45; P = 0.043). The SNR of hepatic parenchyma was significantly different according to flip angle (10°, mean SNR = 26.2 ± 5.6; 20°, mean SNR = 25.3 ± 5.7; 30°, mean SNR = 22.8 ± 6.1; P = 0.004). The CNR of lesion was not significantly different according to flip angle (10°, mean CNR = 7.5 ± 6.6; 20°, mean CNR = 10.2 ± 6.9; 30°, mean CNR = 10.1 ± 7.1; P = 0.051). The sensitivities with 10° and 20° for HCCs were significantly higher than those with 30° for one reader (P < 0.05). In patients with cirrhosis, hepatocyte phase gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced 1.5T MRI with 20° flip angle should be recommended rather than 10° and 30° flip angle.