Can Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI be Used to Differentiate Hepatic Hemangioma from Other Lesions in Early Infancy?

Background Confident diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma on imaging can avoid biopsy in early infancy and helps guide conservative management. Purpose This article aims to determine if dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to differentiate liver hemangioma from other lesions in infants ≤ 100 days and to determine association of MRI features with hepatic lesions. Methods MRI performed for liver lesions were retrospectively reviewed to note imaging characteristics and the MRI diagnosis. Final diagnosis was assigned based on pathology in available cases and by corroborative standard of reference including overall clinical features, lab findings, and follow-up. Results Of 30 infants (18 boys, 12 girls; average age 42.2 days) included, 18 had solitary and 12 had multifocal lesions. Diagnoses in total 33 lesions included hemangiomas (23), hepatoblastoma (6), arteriovenous malformation (2), neuroblastoma metastases (1), and infarction (1). MRI and final diagnosis matched in 94% lesions with almost perfect agreement (kappa 0.86) for reader 1, and matched in 88% lesions with substantial agreement (kappa 0.71) for reader 2. Interobserver agreement for MRI diagnosis was substantial (kappa 0.62). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of MRI in differentiating hemangioma from other lesions were 100, 90, 96, 100, and 97%, respectively. Centripetal (16/23) or flash (5/23) filling were only seen with hemangioma. There was no significant difference in alpha-fetoprotein elevation (p 0.08), average size (p 0.35), multifocality (p 0.38), and intralesional hemorrhage (p 1) between hemangioma and hepatoblastoma. Conclusion Centripetal filling on dynamic imaging and absence of washout are characteristic MRI features of hepatic hemangioma that can help to differentiate it from other lesions in early infancy.