Detection of Colorectal Liver Metastases : Sensitivity of T2-Weighted and Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Using Histopathological Examination as Method of Reference in a Rat Model.

Mathilde Wagner¹, ², Lon Maggiori, ²³, Maxime Ronot¹, ², Valrie Vilgrain¹, ², Yves Panis, ²³, Bernard Edgar Van Beers¹, ²

The purpose of the study was to compare the sensitivity of T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in detecting colorectal liver metastases in a rat model with precise histopathological correlations. DWI detection rate was higher than T2-weighted imaging detection rate (p = 0.001). After stratification according to metastasis average diameter, DWI detection rate was higher than T2-weighted imaging detection rate for metastases with a diameter between 0.3 and 1.2 mm, but not for metastases smaller than 0.3 mm or larger than 1.2 mm. This study shows the better sensitivity of DWI relative to T2-weighted imaging for detecting liver metastases.