Benign liver lesions: differentiation by magnetic resonance

Optimal hepatic imaging involves both detection and characterization of foc al lesions. Detection involves both determination of the presence of lesion s and of their segmental extent of liver involvement. In the evaluation of hypervascular lesions, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a greater impac t on patient management than ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT). Most benign tumors are incidental findings and do not produce clinical symp toms. They must be accurately diagnosed without using aggressive procedures . Knowledge of their imaging features is essential to avoid unnecessary wor k-up and to minimize patient anxiety. In this article, the MR appearance, v ascular and functional behavior of the most common benign liver tumors will be discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.