Correlation of magnetic resonance signal characteristics and perfusion parameters assessed by volume perfusion computed tomography in hepatocellular carcinoma: Impact on lesion characterization

Table 1 Mean volume perfusion computed tomography parameters of consecutive hepatocellular carcinoma-lesions (n = 36)

	BF (mL/100 g tissue/min)	BV (mL/100 mL)	k-trans (mL/100 g tissue/min)	ALP (mL/100 g tissue/min)	PVP (mL/100 g tissue/min)	HPI (%)
All lesions (n = 36)	62.0 ± 23.6	15.3 ± 9.2	35.8 ± 18.4	49.8 ± 18.5	2.3 ± 2.5	94.4 ± 6.3

BF: Blood flow; BV: Blood volume; ALP: Arterial liver perfusion; PVP: Portal venous perfusion; HPI: Hepatic perfusion index.

Table 2 Volume perfusion computed tomography parameters in relation to the histologic grading

Histologic grading	BF (mL/100 g tissue/min)	BV (mL/100 mL)	k-trans (mL/100 g tissue/min)	ALP (mL/100 g tissue/min)	PVP (mL/100 g tissue/min)	HPI (%)
G1 (n = 15)	66.5 ± 30.5	15.8 ± 7.8	45.8 ± 18.4	56.4 ± 23.7	1.9 ± 2.1	95.2 ± 6.0
G2 (n = 18)	57.5 ± 18.9	13.7 ± 4.1	30.9 ± 13.7	46.3 ± 12.7	2.5 ± 2.9	93.9 ± 7.1
G3 (n = 3)	67.9 ± 2.8	22.1 ± 28.3	32.2 ± 8.5	41.2 ± 16.6	2.3 ± 0.3	93.9 ± 5.1
P value	10.52	10.34	10.21	10.24	10.78	10.71

¹Analysis of variance. BF: Blood flow; BV: Blood volume; ALP: Arterial liver perfusion; PVP: Portal venous perfusion; HPI: Hepatic perfusion index.

Table 3 T1 and T2-signal characteristics, wash-in/wash-out kinetics and growth pattern in relation to histology and volume perfusion computed tomography parameters in n = 36 lesions

	ALP	PVP	HPI	G1 (n = 15)	G2 (n = 18)	G3 (n = 3)
T2-Signal characteristics
Hyperintense (n = 21)	47.3 ± 18.7	3.0 ± 2.7	92.5 ± 7.1	8	13	0
Isointense (n = 14)	51.2 ± 17.3	1.1 ± 1.7	97.3 ± 4.4	6	5	3
Hypointense (n = 1)	80.7	0	100	1	0	0
P value for student t test P value hyperintens vs isointense	1P = 0.20 P = 0.54	1P = 0.06 P = 0.02	1P = 0.07 P = 0.03	28.5 P = 0.08
T1-Signal characteristics
Hyperintense (n = 5)	59.7 ± 16.5	3.6 ± 2.6	92.8 ± 3.2	4	1	0
Isointense (n = 16)	46.5.0 ± 9.9	1.4 ± 2.2	96.2 ± 1.6	5	8	3
Hypointense (n = 15)	50.1 ± 25.0	2.5 ± 2.8	93.5 ± 1.7	6	9	0
P value for	1P = 0.44	1P = 0.25	1P = 0.44	28.1 2P = 0.09
Wash-in
Wash-in (n = 33)	50.7 ± 18.9	2.3 ± 2.6	94.3 ± 6.6	15	15	3
No wash-in (n = 3)	40.6 ± 12.0	0.6 ± 0.6	98.4 ± 2.1	0	3	0
P value for	3P = 0.37	3P = 0.25	3P = 0.046	24.4 P = 0.11
Wash-out
Wash-out (n = 25)	49.7 ± 18.2	2.1 ± 2.3	94.8 ± 5.8	6	16	3
No wash-out (n = 11)	50.2 ± 20.2	2.1 ± 3.2	94.4 ± 8.2	9	2	0
P value for	3P = 0.94	3P = 0.98	3P = 0.89	211.6 P = 0.005
Growth-pattern
Infiltrative (n = 5)	53.4 ± 21.0	1.0 ± 1.1	94.0 ± 6.8	2	3	0
Encapsulated (n = 31)	49.0 ± 18.6	2.4 ± 2.7	97.4 ± 3.7	12	16	3
P value for	3P = 0.67	3P = 0.07	3P = 0.13	21 P = 0.60

¹Analysis of variance;

²χ²;

³t test. BF: Blood flow; BV: Blood volume; ALP: Arterial liver perfusion; PVP: Portal venous perfusion; HPI: Hepatic perfusion index.

Table 4 Comparison of lesions with a typical magnetic resonance signal pattern (T2 hyperintense, T1 hypointense, wash-in and wash-out kinetic) vs lesions which did not fulfill at least one of the mentioned magnetic resonance criteria

MR-pattern	BF (mL/100 g tissue/min)	BV (mL/100 mL)	k-trans (mL/min per minute)	ALP (mL/100 g tissue/min)	PVP (mL/100 g tissue)	HPI (%)
Typical lesions (n = 26)	63.3 ± 22.3	15.4 ± 9.8	36.4 ± 12.7	48.9 ± 16.3	2.0 ± 2.7	95.0 ± 6.6
Atypical lesions (n = 10)	58.1 ± 28.1	15.2 ± 7.4	34.4 ± 20.0	52.5 ± 24.6	2.5 ± 2.3	93.7 ± 6.3
t test	P = 0.62	P = 0.94	P = 0.84	P = 0.68	P = 0.58	P = 0.61

BF: Blood flow; BV: Blood volume; ALP: Arterial liver perfusion; PVP: Portal venous perfusion; HPI: Hepatic perfusion index.