Chinese consensus on the clinical application of hepatobiliary MR imaging contrast agent - Gd-EOB-DTPA.

Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) helps improve the ability of detection and diagnosis of focal hepatic lesions, especially for evaluating smaller lesions (<1 cm in diameter) and the diseases of the biliary system. MRI-based function tests with Gd-EOB-DTPA have gained immense popularity in recent years as it can be integrated into clinical setup with a higher temporal and spatial resolution and without ionizing radiation. Gd-EOB-DTPA has been in use since 2011 in China. However, only a few domestic hospitals have implemented a full-fledged application of Gd-EOB-DTPA. Moreover, most of these hospitals are still in the primary period of Gd-EOB-DTPA application, with limited experience and lack of unitive consciousness. In this situation, the domestic experts who engaged in the same field developed a consensus based on the recommended target users, optimized scanning scheme and application in the diagnosis of cirrhosis-associated nodules during multistep hepatocarcinogenesis, aiming at providing specifications and guidance for Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced hepatic MRI examination and improving the overall diagnostic accuracy of hepatic diseases. The recommendations suggested in this piece of work may help the clinicians in rural areas/small hospitals and those who have newly adopted the use of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced hepatic MRI in routine clinical practice.