Effect of increasing the flip angle during the hepatocyte phase of gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced 1.5T MRI in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Purpose To evaluate the effects of increasing the flip angle during the hepatocyte phase of gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods Sixty-three patients with liver cirrhosis underwent gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced 1.5T MRI with 90-minute delayed hepatocyte phase with flip angles of 10°, 20°, 30°, consecutively. Relative enhancement and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of liver parenchyma at hepatocyte phase according to flip angle were calculated. The liver-to-lesion (low signal intensity HCCs, n = 63; ≥1 cm) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) at the hepatocyte phase according to flip angle were calculated. Two radiologists independently assessed the presence of HCCs using a 5-point scale, and detection sensitivity of HCCs was calculated according to flip angle. Results The relative enhancement of hepatic parenchyma differed significantly according to flip angle (10°, mean relative enhancement = 0.69 ± 0.46; 20°, mean relative enhancement = 0.63 ± 0.47; 30°, mean relative enhancement = 0.49 ± 0.45; P = 0.043). The SNR of hepatic parenchyma was significantly different according to flip angle (10°, mean SNR = 26.2 ± 5.6; 20°, mean SNR = 25.3 ± 5.7; 30°, mean SNR = 22.8 ± 6.1; P = 0.004). The CNR of lesion was not significantly different according to flip angle (10°, mean CNR = 7.5 ± 6.6; 20°, mean CNR = 10.2 ± 6.9; 30°, mean CNR = 10.1 ± 7.1; P = 0.051). The sensitivities with 10° and 20° for HCCs were significantly higher than those with 30° for one reader (P < 0.05). Conclusion In patients with cirrhosis, hepatocyte phase gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced 1.5T MRI with 20° flip angle should be recommended rather than 10° and 30° flip angle. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015.