Clinical Effect of Add-On Primovist-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging on Preoperative Tumor Staging in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

Abstract

Background/Aims: We analyzed the incidence of change of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage after add-on Primovist-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage 0 or A as determined by liver dynamic computed tomography (LDCT). Methods: Atotal of 166 patients enrolled prospectively between August 2012 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The rates of stage change after Primovist-enhanced MRI and the treatment finally adopted in patients with stage change were evaluated. Results: Of the 166 patients, 24 (18.6%) had truly new HCCs. Forty-six (27.7%) and 120 (72.3%) patients had BCLC stages 0 and A, respectively, before Primovist-enhanced MRI, but after Primovist-enhanced MRI, 28 (16.9%), 134 (80.7%), and 4 (2.4%) patients had BCLC stages 0, A, and B, respectively. Tumor stage changed in 22 (13.3%) patients, from 0 to A (18, 39.1%) or A to B (4, 3.3%). Conclusions: Add-on Primovist-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging can change BCLC stage with 13.3% in patients with BCLC 0 or A staged HCC, as determined by LDCT. (C) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.