MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF THE LIVER

A variety of diffuse and focal disease processes affect the liver. MRI is likely the imaging modality of choice for investigation of patient s suspected of having diffuse disease such as cirrhosis, hemochromatos is, or fatty infiltration. MRI is extremely effective at detecting and characterizing focal hepatic lesions. In particular, patients suspect ed of possessing hemangiomas, hepatocellular carcinoma, or hypervascul ar liver metastases are better evaluated by MRI than other imaging mod alities. Immediate post gadolinium spoiled gradient echo and T2-weight ed fat suppressed spin echo are very effective at lesion detection, wh ereas serial post gadolinium spoiled gradient echo is essential for le sion characterization. New fast T2-weighted sequences and tissue speci fic contrast agents may further increase the role of liver MRI by shor tening exam time and increasing sensitivity and specificity, respectiv ely.