Diagnostic Accuracy of MR-Spectroscopy in Diagnosis of Focal Liver Malignant Lesions Taking Histopathology as Gold Standard

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of MR-spectroscopy in diagnosis of focal liver malignant lesions taking histopathology as gold standard. Study Design: Cross-Sectional Validation Study. Settings: The study was conducted in Radiology Department of Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Duration: Six months from 1st October 2017 to 31st March 2018. Methodology: Permission for research was sought from hospital ethical committee. Patients were collected from OPD & indoor departments of Radiology and Medicine of Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Objective of study was explained to every subject who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and informed consent was taken. Confounding variables were controlled by restriction (by excluding subjects with history of metastatic disease and chemotherapy). MRS examination was performed with the patients in supine position using 1.5-T Philips MRI unit and a body phased array coil. This procedure was performed in Radiology Department Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Biopsy was taken from the patients and histopathology was done from histopathology lab PMC/Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Finally, the data was collected. Results: In this study, diagnostic accuracy of MR-spectroscopy in diagnosis of focal liver malignant lesions taking histopathology as gold standard was calculated as 93.75% for sensitivity, 90.20% for specificity, 92.31% for positive predictive value, 92.00% for negative predictive value and 92.17% for accuracy rate, positive likelihood ratio was 9.56 and negative likelihood ratio was 0.07. Conclusion: It is concluded that the diagnostic accuracy of MR-spectroscopy is comparable and is better as it is less invasive in diagnosing of focal liver malignant lesions taking histopathology as gold standard. However, these findings are primary and needs validation through some other local studies.