Low-Dose Gadobenate Dimeglumine-Enhanced MRI in the Detection and Characterization of Focal Liver Lesions

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver with conventional nonspecific gadolinium-based contrast agents has traditionally been performed at a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg of body weight. When administered as a bolus and combined with image acquisition during the dynamic phase of contrast enhancement, these agents at this dose have been used for the characterization of focal liver lesions (FLLs) ( 1 Hamm B Thoeni RF Gould RG et al. Focal liver lesions: characterization with nonenhanced and dynamic contrast material–enhanced MR imaging. Radiology. 1994; 190: 417-423 Crossref PubMed Scopus (217) Google Scholar , 2 Semelka RC Shoenut JP Kroeker MA et al. Focal liver disease: comparison of dynamic contrast-enhanced CT and T2-weighted fat-suppressed, FLASH, and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging at 1.5 T. Radiology. 1992; 184: 687-694 Crossref PubMed Scopus (198) Google Scholar ). Unfortunately, these agents have not always proven satisfactory for the improved detection of FLLs, especially hypovascular metastases ( 3 Peterson MS Baron RL Murakami T Hepatic malignancies: usefulness of acquisition of multiple arterial and portal venous phase images at dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging. Radiology. 1996; 201: 337-345 Crossref PubMed Scopus (146) Google Scholar , 4 Hamm B Mahfouz AE Taupitz M et al. Liver metastases: improved detection with dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging?. Radiology. 1997; 202: 677-682 Crossref PubMed Scopus (96) Google Scholar ).