Multiphase, contrast-enhanced 3D-MR angiography for morphological and functional focal lesion detection: initial results

Purpose: To investigate the value of multiphase breath-hold 3D gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced MR angiography (MRA) for lesion detection and characterization of focal liver lesions. Materials and methods: Breath-hold 3D Gd-enhanced MRA was performed in 25 patients with benign and malignant hepatic lesions on a 1.5-T MR system using an ultrafast 3D spoiled gradient echo sequence (TR/TE=5/2 ms, FOV=300-450 mm, matrix=256 x 168, voxel volume=1.8 x 2.3 x 2.5 mm, 64 partitions, central k-space reordering; acquisition time=27 s). Three measurements were done in the arterial, portal venous, and late venous phase. Results: The analysis of the spatial and temporal evolution of contrast enhancement of the 3D-MRA improved significantly (P < 0.01) lesion detection and characterization if compared with T1 per contrast, T2-weighted, and T1 postcontrast images. Conclusion: Multiphase breath-hold 3D Gd-enhanced MRA imaging is a robust new technique to significantly improve morphological detection of benign and malignant lesions during the early arterial phase and further improves functional characterization of liver lesions by a combination of an arterial, a portal venous, and a late venous phase. (orig.)