Focal nodular hyperplasia: intraindividual comparison of dynamic gadobenate dimeglumine- and ferucarbotran-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

PURPOSE: To intraindividually compare the enhancement pattern of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) after dynamic administration of two bolus-injectable liver-specific MR contrast agents, ferucarbotran and gadobenate dimeglumine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 19 patients with 24 FNHs underwent gadobenate dimeglumine- and ferucarbotran-enhanced MRI during the hepatic arterial-dominant phase (HAP; 25 seconds), the portal-venous phase (PVP; 60 seconds), and the equilibrium phase (EP; 180 seconds). Hepatospecific phases were acquired on T1-weighted images 120 minutes after gadobenate dimeglumine administration, and on T2-weighted images 10 minutes after ferucarbotran administration. Lesion enhancement was independently analyzed by two observers. The kappa statistic was determined to evaluate the agreement between the enhancement patterns of the lesions. RESULTS: On gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MR images during HAP, PVP, and EP, FNHs were: hyperintense (24/20/13); isointense (0/4/11); and hypointense (0/0/0). On ferucarbotran-enhanced MR images during HAP, PVP, and EP, FNHs were: hyperintense (2/0/0); isointense (16/9/14); and hypointense (6/15/10). Overall, poor agreement between both contrast agents was observed. During the hepatospecific phases, most (20/24; 83%) FNHs showed a typical enhancement pattern during the delayed hepatospecific phase. CONCLUSION: The dynamic enhancement pattern of FNHs is significantly different between gadobenate dimeglumine- and ferucarbotran-enhanced MRI. With respect to hepatospecific phase, the majority of FNHs showed a typical behavior on both contrast agents.