Gd-EOB-DTPA Enhanced MR Imaging of the Liver: Correlation with Morphological Severity of Cirrhosis and Hepatic Parenchyma Enhancement at Hepatobiliary Phase

Atsushi Higaki¹, Tsutomu Tamada¹, Akihiko Kanki¹, Yasufumi Noda¹, Hiroki Higashi¹, Takenori Yamashita¹, Katsuyoshi Ito¹

We evaluated the relationships between enhancement effects of liver parenchyma in hepatobiliary phase of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced MR imaging and MR imaging findings of cirrhosis change. Hepatic parenchymal enhancement in the HP of Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MR imaging did not necessarily decrease according to the morphological severity of cirrhosis. This fact may suggest that the hepatic uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA depends on the preserved hepatocytes function rather than the severity in morphologic changes in cirrhosis.