DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN BENIGN AND MALIGNANT LIVER-LESIONS BY MEANS OF UNENHANCED MRT

The aim of the study was to establish qualitative criteria for differentiating between malignant and benign focal lesions of the liver using unenhanced MRT at 0.5 Tesla. Patients and method: 72 patients with 203 focal liver lesions were examined with T-1 and T-2 weighted SE sequences. The images were examined by three radiologists according to qualitative criteria (homogeneity, form and signal of the lesions compared with liver, spleen and muscle). Results: The most specific sign applying to 90% of malignant lesions were diffuse or irregular contours on T-2 weighted sequences; this had a sensitivity of 43 %. For all other features, specificity for malignancy was less than 67 %. Conclusion: Using these sequences and criteria it is not possible to distinguish between malignant and benign lesions of the liver with sufficient accuracy.