[Gd-DTPA enhanced multi-shot echo-planar MRI: improvement of contrast between metastatic liver cancer and liver parenchyma].

In six patients with metastatic liver cancer, spin-echo multi-shot echo-planar MR imaging 8/2000/80/1 (shot/TR/TE/excitation) of the liver was performed before and 30, 60, 90 and 120 sec after the intravenous injection of Gd-DTPA. Signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) of the liver tumor and liver parenchyma were measured in each phase. The contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) between the tumor and liver parenchyma were also calculated. While the SNR of the tumor did not change after the injection of Gd-DTPA, the SNR of the liver parenchyma decreased and the CNR between the tumor and liver parenchyma increased.