Diffusion-weighted images of the liver: comparison of tumor detection before and after contrast enhancement with superparamagnetic iron oxide

PURPOSE: To study the recognition of malignant lesions of the liver on diffusion-weighted images (DWI) can be improved by the administration of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre- and post-SPIO mediated DWI of the liver was compared in six patients with suspected malignant liver lesions at 1.5 Tesla using a parallel imaging technique. RESULTS: Post-SPIO DWI showed improved contrast-to-noise ratio between malignant lesions and liver. Furthermore, the spleen signal was decreased on post-SPIO DWI, thus avoiding the overlap of the spleen and left lobe of the liver on maximum intensity projections (MIP). CONCLUSION: Recognition of malignant lesions of the liver was improved by SPIO on DWI. On MIP images of DWI, SPIO helped to decrease the overlap of spleen signal on the liver in some projection angles.