Focal liver disease: comparison of breath-hold T1-weighted MP-GRE MR imaging and contrast-enhanced CT--lesion detection, localization, and characterization.

Objective: To compare breath-hold T1-weighted magnetization-prepared gradient-echo (MP-GRE) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with contrast material-enhanced computed tomography (CT) in the assessment of focal liver disease.

Methods: The MR and CT images obtained in 64 patients with focal liver disease were reviewed by six independent reviewers in a randomized, blinded fashion. Sets of axial T1-weighted MP-GRE images, three-plane (a compilation of axial, sagittal, and coronal) T1-weighted MP-GRE images, and contrast-enhanced CT scans were analyzed. T2-weighted spin-echo (SE) MR images were also compared with CT scans.

Results: Lesions were detected, localized, and characterized more accurately and generally with greater confidence with three-plane T1-weighted MP-GRE imaging than with CT (P < .01). Axial T1-weighted MP-GRE imaging was also superior (P < .05) to CT (although slightly less superior than three-plane imaging) except in the characterization of specific lesions, where both techniques were equal. T2-weighted SE MR imaging and CT were about equal.

Conclusions: Lesion detection, localization, and characterization are performed more accurately and confidently with breath-hold T1-weighted MP-GRE imaging than with contrast-enhanced CT, particularly when breath-hold images are obtained in three planes.