Supplement Value of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Small Hepatic Lesion (< 20 mm) Detected on Routine Computed Tomography
Sith Phongkitkarun MD*, Tichakorn Srianujata MD*, Janjira Jatchavala MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : To determine the supplemental MRI value in characterization of small hepatic lesions (< 20 mm)
indetermined by routine CT scan.
Material and Method: This was a retrospective study. Sixty-four patients with 81 indeterminate small hepatic
lesions on the CT scan were included in this study. Two radiologists simultaneously evaluated the CT scan,
followed by MRI. Patient history, imaging record, and final diagnosis were blinded. Final diagnoses were
made by interpretation of all medical data and defined these lesions as benign or malignancy by using either
histology or follow-up imaging combined with laboratory data.
Results : In 64 patients, 62 lesions (76.5%) of 81 indeterminate lesions were benign, whereas 19 lesions
(23.5%) were malignant. MRI interpreted 55 lesions as benign, 17 lesions as malignant, and 9 as indeterminate
lesions. If the indeterminate lesions were assumed as benign lesions, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive
value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), are 68.4%, 93.6%, 76.5%, and 90.6%, respectively.
Conclusion : MRI can supplement CT scan in characterization of small hepatic lesion with high specificity and
accuracy.
Keywords : Liver diseases, Liver neoplasms, Magnetic resonance imaging, Tomography, X-ray computed
