Volume Change and Liver Parenchymal Signal Intensity in Gd-EOB-DTPA-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging after Portal Vein Embolization prior to Hepatectomy

Abstract EN

Purpose.

To investigate the liver volume change and the potential of early evaluation by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) after portal vein embolization (PVE).

Materials and Methods.

Retrospective evaluations of computed tomography (CT) volumetry of total liver and nonembolized areas were performed before and 3 weeks after PVE in 37 cases.

The percentage of future liver remnant (%FLR) and the change ratio of %FLR (%FLR ratio) were calculated.

Prospective evaluation of signal intensities (SIs) was performed to estimate the role of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI as a predictor of hypertrophy in 16 cases.

The SI contrast between embolized and nonembolized areas was calculated 1 week after PVE.

The change in SI contrast before and after PVE (SI ratio) was also calculated in 11 cases.

Results.

%FLR ratio significantly increased, and SI ratio significantly decreased (both P<0.01).

There were significant negative correlations between %FLR and SI contrast and between %FLR and SI ratio (both P<0.01).

Conclusion.

Hypertrophy in the nonembolized area after PVE was indicated by CT volumetry, and measurement of SI contrast and SI ratio in Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI early after PVE may be useful to predict the potential for hepatic hypertrophy.