MRI of hepatic adenomatosis: initial observations with gadoxetic acid contrast agent in three patients.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to describe the MR signal characteristics of histologically proven liver adenomatosis in three patients using gadoxetic acid, a newly developed liver-specific MR contrast agent.

Conclusion: In all three patients, more than 100 liver adenomas revealed no metabolism of the new liver-specific contrast agent in the delayed phase. Because of absent or strongly reduced intracellular uptake of gadoxetic acid in all adenomas during delayed contrast-enhanced series, differentiation of adenomas from dysplastic or malignant lesions was not possible.

Germline alterations in the cyclooxygenase-2 gene are not associated with the development of extracolonic manifestations in a large swiss familial adenomatous polyposis kindred.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant condition leading to the development of multiple colorectal polyps and other features. Intrafamilial variation in phenotype is known to occur in FAP; despite carrying the same causing mutation in the APC gene, disease expression may considerably differ in affected individuals, likely due to the existence of modifier genes. Several lines of evidence suggest the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene to be a candidate modifier in FAP.