Evaluation of hepatic lesions and hepatic parenchyma using diffusion‐weighted reordered turboFLASH magnetic resonance images

Abstract

Purpose To determine whether the centric reordered snapshot fast low‐angle shot (reordered turboFLASH) magnetic resonance (MR) images with no, low, and high motion‐probing gradients (MPGs) were useful to evaluate hepatic lesions and hepatic parenchyma. Materials and Methods The measured diffusion coefficient (D), deviation factor (f), and apparent diffusion coefficient for flowing spin (D*) values for 92 hepatic lesions (33 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 17 metastases, 27 hemangiomas, and 15 cysts) and the nonlesion‐bearing regions of parenchyma in 74 livers (46 noncirrhotic and 28 cirrhotic) were approximately calculated from the reordered turboFLASH images (modified for diffusion sensitivities of b = 0, 50.2, and 295 seconds/mm²). Results These groups, listed in order of decreasing D* and f values, were cysts, noncirrhotic livers, cirrhotic livers, hemangiomas, metastases, and HCCs. The order on the basis of D values was cysts, hemangiomas, metastases, HCCs, cirrhotic livers, and noncirrhotic livers. Noncirrhotic livers showed higher D* and f values, and lower D values than HCCs and metastases (P < 0.04). Conclusion The D* and f values, in addition to the D value, may be useful for evaluating the nature of diffusion and flowing spins in hepatic lesions and hepatic parenchyma. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2002;15:564–572.