Avoiding Pitfalls in the Interpretation of Gadoxetic Acid-Enhanced MR Imaging

Publication date: Available online 12 August 2016 Source:Seminars in Ultrasound, CT and MRI Author(s): Marco Dioguardi Burgio, Maxime Ronot, Luisa Paulatto, Sylvain Terraz, Valérie Vilgrain, Giuseppe Brancatelli Gadoxetic acid is extensively used in three main clinical situations: characterization of small nodules in patients with cirrhosis, preoperative staging of liver metastases, and characterization of incidentally discovered focal liver lesions. Due to the rapid entry of gadoxetic acid into hepatocytes, the traditional features of liver tumors are modified on MR imaging, especially during delayed phase sequences. Thus, although the added value of gadoxetic acid for the detection and characterization of focal liver lesions is now clear, its unique pharmacokinetics as well as the presence of mimicking and atypical lesions may lead to misdiagnoses. The goal of this review is to illustrate common and uncommon pitfalls associated with the use of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging. Moreover, additional MR imaging features that can help establish a correct diagnosis are described.
Source: Seminars in Ultrasound, CT and MRI - Category: Radiology Source Type: research