Diffusion-weighted MR Imaging of the Liver

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.09090021

In the clinical setting, diffusion-weighted MR imaging can be used for liver lesion detection and lesion characterization, with better results compared with those of T2-weighted MR imaging, and has potential additional value to contrast-enhanced sequences.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging plays an increasingly important role in the evaluation of patients with liver disease because of its high contrast resolution, lack of ionizing radiation, and the possibility of performing functional imaging sequences. With advances in hardware and coil systems, diffusion-weighted (DW) MR imaging can now be applied to liver imaging with improved image quality. DW MR imaging enables qualitative and quantitative assessment of tissue diffusivity (apparent diffusion coefficient) without the use of gadolinium chelates, which makes it a highly attractive technique, particularly in patients with severe renal dysfunction at risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. In this review, acquisition parameters, postprocessing, and quantification methods applied to liver DW MR imaging will be discussed. The current clinical uses of DW MR imaging (liver lesion detection and characterization, compared and combined with conventional sequences) and the emerging applications of DW MR imaging (tumor treatment response and diagnosis of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis) will be reviewed. Also, limitations, mainly image quality and reproducibility of diffusion parameters, and future directions of liver DW MR imaging will be discussed.

© RSNA, 2010

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Article History

Received January 5, 2009; revision requested February 5; revision received March 26; accepted May 6; final version accepted May 26.
Published online: Dec 14 2009
Published in print: Jan 2010