In recent years MRI has been shown to be useful in the abdomen in the evaluation of various pathologies. Recently it has been shown that Magnetic Resonance Imaging is useful in the evaluation of benign and malignant hepatic lesions. We have undertaken a study to determine the sensitivity and specificity of MRI in comparison to EOE-13 enhanced Computed Tomography scans for the detection of hepatic metastases. Patients with colorectal carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma and melanoma who are eligible for protocol in the NCI Surgical Oncology Branch will undergo routine EOE-13 enhanced CT scans, as well as MRI scans. These patients will be followed up, if protocol eligible with a surgical exploration of their abdomen to determine the number and size of hepatic metastases. Comparisons will then be made with surgical findings and MRI and CT scans in order to determine the accuracy, specificity and sensitivity of each imaging modality. Forty-five patients have been scanned with each modality to date. The results of this study indicate that MRI is as sensitives as the """"""""gold standard"""""""" EOE-CT enhanced scan in the evaluation of malignant metastases. Further work is under way to determine the sensitivity and specificity of MRI in the detection of benign and malignant hepatic masses.
