MR findings of hepatic cavernous hemangioma after intraarterial infusion of iodized oil

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed on five tumors of three patients who had hepatic hemangiomas. Four tumors were given an intraarterial infusion of 3-8 ml of iodized oil, while one tumor was not. MR images were obtained at 2.0 or 0.5 T. A single spin echo sequence with TE of 30 ms and TR of 500 ms and a double echo sequence with TEs of 60 and 150 ms and TR of 2000 ms, were used to produce relatively T1-, T2-weighted, and heavily T2-weighted images, respectively. Follow-up MR imaging was done 1-5 months after infusion of iodized oil. On relatively T1-weighted images, hemangiomas showed iso- or hypointensity. On T2-weighted images, all tumors showed hyperintensity. However, on heavily T2-weighted images, tumors with iodized oil showed heterogeneous, slight hyperintensity, while tumors without iodized oil showed characteristic appearance of marked hyperintensity in hemangiomas. In hepatic cavernous hemangiomas with intraarterial infusion of iodized oil, familiarity with this unusual MR intensity of tumors on heavily T2-weighted images is useful to avoid the incorrect diagnosis and to reduce the frequency of inappropriate hepatic resection.