RESUMEN
Purpose To investigate the clinical value of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid(Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced MRI for the preoperative evaluation of colorectal cancer liver metastases(CRCLM).Materials and Methods Fifty-six CRCLM patients with 156 CRCLM lesions confirmed by surgical pathology in the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from September 2019 to March 2023 were collected,and all underwent dynamic Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI.The characteristic manifestations of T2WI,diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI),arterial phase and hepatobiliary phase(HBP)were observed,and the detection rate of each sequence was calculated,and then the signal intensity ratio of lesions to liver parenchyma on HBP and the apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)were calculated.The ADC values of lesions with reversed target and target signs and lesions with homogeneous and heterogeneous hypointensity on HBP and the detection rate of each sequence were compared.Results Among 156 CRCLM lesions,20.51%(32/156)and 38.46%(60/156)exhibited a target appearance on T2WI,51.28%(80/156)displayed a target sign on DWI,73.72%(115/156)showed rim enhancement on the arterial phase,and 34.62%(54/156)presented a target sign on HBP.The mean ADC value of lesions with reversed target and target signs on HBP did not significantly differ from that of lesions with homogeneous and heterogeneous hypointensity on HBP[(0.98±0.43)×10-3 mm2/s vs.(1.01±0.47)×10-3 mm2/s;t=-0.340,P=0.327].Based on the size of CRCLM lesions,three groups were categorized,including<1.0 cm(41 lesions),1.0-2.0 cm(55 lesions),and>2.0 cm(60 lesions).The overall detection rate of HBP(96.79%)was the highest compared with T2WI,DWI and Gd-EOB-DTPA four-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced multiphase imaging(P<0.05).Regarding<1.0 cm lesions,the detection rate of HBP(87.80%)was superior to that of T2WI,DWI and Gd-EOB-DTPA four-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced multiphase imaging(P<0.05).Conclusion Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI has important clinical value for the preoperative evaluation of CRCLM,especially the features of target sign or reversed target sign on HBP and the excellent efficacy of detecting microscopic lesions.