Enhancement of liver parenchyma after injection of hepatocyte-specific MRI contrast media: a comparison of gadoxetic acid and gadobenate dimeglumine

PURPOSE: To compare enhancement of liver parenchyma in MR imaging after injection of hepatocyte-specific contrast media. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients (n = 295) with known/suspected focal liver lesions randomly received 0.025 mmol gadoxetic acid/kg body weight or 0.05 mmol gadobenate dimeglumine/kg body weight by means of bolus injection. MR imaging was performed before and immediately after injection, and in the delayed phase at approved time points (20 min after injection of gadoxetic acid and 40 min after injection of gadobenate dimeglumine). The relative liver enhancement for the overall population and a cirrhotic subgroup was compared in T1-weighted GRE sequences. An independent radiologist performed signal intensity measurements. Enhancement ratios were compared using confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The relative liver enhancement in the overall population was superior with gadoxetic acid (57.24%) versus gadobenate dimeglumine (32.77%) in the delayed-imaging phase. The enhancement ratio between the contrast media was statistically significant at 1.75 (95% CI: 1.46-2.13). In the delayed phase, the enhancement of cirrhotic liver with gadoxetic acid (57.00%) was comparable to that in the overall population. Enhancement with gadobenate dimeglumine was inferior in cirrhotic liver parenchyma (26.85%). CONCLUSION: In the delayed, hepatocyte-specific phase, liver enhancement after injection of gadoxetic acid was superior to that obtained with gadobenate dimeglumin