The value of detection of small liver tumor with galactose-bovine-serum-albumin containing superparamagnetic iron oxide in rabbits / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the value of detection of small liver tumor with Galactose-Bovine-serum-albumin containing superparamagetic(Gal-BSA-SPIO) in rabbits primarily.Methods Gal-BSA-SPIO was obtained by stabilizing small superparamagnetic iron with galactose-bovine-serum-albumin,and its size was measured.Models of liver tumor(diameter＜1.5 cm) in rabbits were founded.The animals were randomly divided into groups of SPIO (n=10) and group of Gal-BSA-SPIO (n=10).Each group was further subdivided as 5 μmol Fe/kg group (n=5) and 10 μmol Fe/kg group (n=5),respectively.All animals were performed magnetic resonance imaging before and after administration of agents according to groups.SE T2WI,FSE T2WI and GRE T2WI sequences were used.Then signal of noise(SNR) of liver and contrast-noise ratio(CNR) of tumor-liver were measured and compared statistically.The histopathology study was performed for liver and tumor specimens after MR imaging.Results The mean value for the volume size was 34.4 nm,and the core particle size was 14.8 nm.The differences of liver SNR between before and after enhancement for 5 μmol Fe/kg SPIO,5 μmol Fe/kg Gal-BSA-SPIO,10 μmol Fe/kg SPIO and 10 μmol Fe/kg Gal-BSA-SPIO group were (1.92±0.42),(3.75±0.51),(3.25±0.72) and (4.73±0.34) on SE sequence,respectively;(1.56±0.18),(3.56±0.64),(3.33±0.16) and (4.83±0.16) on FSE sequence,respectively;(5.55±0.91),(9.58±0.66),(9.20±0.29) and (10.63±0.32) on GRE sequence,respectively.There were significant differences between all groups for difierent doses and agents and within all different sequences (P＜0.01).The differences of tumor-liver CNR between before and after enhancement of these 4 groups were(2.22±0.68),(5.27±0.22),(4.25±0.51) and (6.97±0.63) on SE sequence,respectively;(1.73±0.41),(4.46±0.54),(3.73±0.49)and (5.39±0.39) on FSE sequence,respectively;(5.98±0.71),(11.79±0.57),(9.57±0.54)and(14.64±1.35)on GRE sequence,respectively.The differences between all groups of different doses and agents and within all sequences showed significant (P＜0.01). Histopathological study revealed that Gal-BSA-SPIO was mainly distributed in hepatocytes while SPIO mainly in Kupffer cells.Conclusion Gal-BSA-SPIO is a agent with good negative enhancement effect in liver.It may be helpful for detecting small tumor of liver.