Radiology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hirohashi, S.
Right arrow Articles by Ohishi, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Hirohashi, S.
Right arrow Articles by Ohishi, H.
(Radiology. 2000;217:415-420.)
© RSNA, 2000

Gastrointestinal Imaging

Nondiffuse Fatty Change of the Liver: Discerning Pseudotumor on MR Images Enhanced with Ferumoxides-Initial Observations1

Shinji Hirohashi, MD, Kouji Ueda, MD, Hideo Uchida, MD, Wataru Ono, MD, Junko Takahama, MD, Megumi Takewa, MD, Satoru Kitano, MD and Hajime Ohishi, MD

1 From the Departments of Radiology and Oncoradiology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara-shi, Nara 634-8522, Japan. Received January 5, 1999; revision requested February 18; final revision received March 7, 2000; accepted March 30. Address correspondence to S.H. (e-mail: hirohashi@my.email.ne.jp).

PURPOSE: To clarify the findings of nondiffuse fatty change of the liver on ferumoxides-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) images.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 202 patients who underwent ferumoxides-enhanced MR imaging, eight who had nondiffuse fatty change of the liver at computed tomography (CT) were examined as study subjects. MR imaging findings before and 1 hour after ferumoxides administration were compared with CT findings.

RESULTS: Focal fatty areas of the liver showing low attenuation on CT images were depicted as areas of relatively high intensity on the ferumoxides-enhanced T1-weighted images in all patients. On enhanced T2-weighted images, focal fatty change showed relatively high intensity in three and isointensity in one of the four patients. Focal spared areas appearing as areas of relatively high attenuation on CT images were depicted as areas of relatively low intensity on the ferumoxides-enhanced T1- and T2-weighted images in all patients.

CONCLUSION: Although prior reports of hepatic MR imaging with ferumoxides indicated that there is accumulation of ferumoxides within focal fatty areas that are no longer seen after the administration of contrast medium, this study revealed that focal fatty change and focal spared areas of fatty liver may be pseudotumors because of the relatively high intensity of fatty areas of the liver. Radiologists can distinguish these conditions from hepatic tumors by using the opposed-phase gradient-echo sequence or the fat-saturation technique.

Index terms: Computed tomography (CT), comparative studies, 761.1211, 761.121411, 761.121412, 761.121414, 761.12143 • Iron, 761.12143 • Liver, CT, 761.1211 • Liver, fatty, 761.50 • Liver, MR, 761.121411, 761.121412, 761.121414, 761.12143 • Magnetic resonance (MR), comparative studies, 761.1211, 761.121411, 761.121412, 761.121414, 761.12143 • Magnetic resonance (MR), contrast media, 761.12143