Purpose: The value of T2 weighted turbo-spin-echo sequences with selective fat suppression (TSE-SPIR) in the detection and differential diagnosis of focal liver lesions was compared to TSE sequences and conventional T1 weighted spin-echo (T1 SE) sequences at 0.5T.
Methods: In 50 patients with focal liver lesions T1 SE-TSE-, and TSE-SPIR sequences were performed. Two independent readers evaluated the sequences with regard to the image quality, fat suppression, and the number and conspicuity of liver lesions. Quantitative analysis was performed by tumour-liver contrast-to-noise (CNR) measurements.
Results: From a total of 118 liver lesions the T1 SE sequence, the TSE sequence, and the TSE-SPIR sequence showed 85.6%, 83.9%, and 91.5%, respectively (p < 0.05). The tumour-liver CNR of malignant liver lesions was 30.2-46.6% higher on the TSE-SPIR sequence compared to the TSE sequence (p < 0.01). With the exception of fat-containing lesions there was no significant difference of CNR in benign lesions on both TSE sequences.
Conclusion: With regard to lesion detection the TSE-SPIR sequence is superior to the TSE sequence without fat suppression, whereas it is inferior to the TSE sequence in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions.