Onkologie. 2007:1(2):79-83
MR imaging in differential diagnostics of liver lesions
- II. rádiologická klinika LF UK a OÚSA, Bratislava
Diagnosis of focal liver lesions is „the daily bread“ of each radiologist and means a diagnostic problem. Although ultrasound (US) and computer-assisted tomography (CT) are routinely used in imaging algorithm, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is still the golden standard, especially in those cases, when former imaging cannot give an unambiguous determination of the biological characteristic of the lesion. MRI should be performed before any invasive procedure (biopsy).
Main advantages of MRI are better tissue resolution, multiplanar imaging feasibility (nowadays also possible with the newest CT equipment), absence of radiation, minimal risk of allergic reaction after contrast administration and especially the use of hepatotropic contrast media. On the other hand, the disadvantage of MRI is a limited examination in patients with metallic implants and absolute contraindication in patients with electronic implants.
The benefit in differential diagnosis is the use of organ-specific contrast agents, which are helpful for the determination of the tumor structure, but for the clinical practice the goal remains the determination of benign or malignant tumor character, what is of great importance for the further therapeutic and prognostic approach.
Authors present in this survey article the MR imaging techniques, methodology, differential diagnosis and pitfalls in the diagnosis of focal liver lesions.
Keywords: focal liver lesions, magnetic resonance imaging, differential diagnosis
Published: October 23, 2007 Show citation
