Portal hypertension may influence the registration of hypointensity of small hepatocellular carcinoma in the hepatobiliary phase in gadoxetic acid MR
Article Category: research article
Pubblicato online: 14 ago 2022
Pagine: 292 - 302
Ricevuto: 04 feb 2022
Accettato: 24 apr 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2022-0024
© 2022 Carla Caparroz, Alejandro Forner, Jordi Rimola, Anna Darnell, Ángeles García-Criado, Juan Ramón Ayuso, María Reig, Jordi Bruix, Carmen Ayuso, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Background
The aim of the study was to analyze the association between the liver uptake of Gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) in the hepatobiliary phase (HBP) in cirrhotic patients and the presence of clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH), and how these features impact on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection in the HBP.
Patients and methods
Post-hoc analysis of a prospective cohort of 62 cirrhotic patients with newly US-detected nodule between 1–2 cm (study group). Twenty healthy subjects were used as control group. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the liver contrast uptake in the HBP assessed by Relative Liver-Enhancement (RLE), Liver-Spleen (LSCR), Liver-Muscle (LMCR), and Liver-Kidney Contrast-Ratio (LKCR), Contrast Enhancement Index (CEI), and Hepatic Uptake (HUI), and biliary excretion, were registered. CSPH was confirmed invasively (HVPG > 10 mmHg) or by indirect parameters. The appearance of HCC at the HBP was analyzed.
Results
Nineteen patients (30.6%) did not have CSPH. In 41 patients (66.1%) the final diagnosis was HCC. All indices were significantly higher in the control group, indicating a more intense HBP liver signal intensity compared to patients with cirrhosis, even if the comparison was restricted to patients with no CSPH. CSPH was associated to a lower rate of HCC hypointensity in the HBP (51.9%
Conclusions
Liver uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA at the HBP is decreased in cirrhosis even if the liver function is minimally impaired and it falls down significantly in patients with CSPH compromising the recognition of hypointense lesions. This fact may represent a limitation for the detection of small HCC in patients with cirrhosis and CSPH.