MR-arterioportography: A new technical approach for detection of liver lesions

Figure 1 A 49-year-old man with hepatic cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis B and C infection. Histology obtained following liver transplantation confirmed the diagnosis of a multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma. A: Magnetic resonance imaging (T1-weighted VIBE) during early venous phase shows a low signal intensity nodule with a diameter of approximately 3 cm in segment VIII/V; B: SPIO-enhanced T2-weighted fast image shows an area of increased signal intensity (segment VIII/V) within the otherwise lower but very inhomogenous signal of the liver parenchyma with profound cirrhosis; C: MR-AP (T1-weighted VIBE) during early venous phase displays an area of decreased enhancement (approx. 4.5 cm diameter) in segment VIII/V. Note the multiple smaller hypointense lesions in segments VII/VI. SPIO: Superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced.

Figure 2 A 63-year-old man with hepatic cirrhosis due to a chronic hepatitis C infection. Histology obtained following liver transplantation confirmed the diagnosis of a well differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. A: Magnetic resonance imaging (T1-weighted VIBE) during arterial phase shows a singular hyper-vascularized nodule with a diameter of approximately 2 cm in segment VII; B: T1-weighted VIBE during early venous phase shows an inhomogenous signal of the liver parenchyma with masking of the lesion in segment VII; C: SPIO-enhanced T2-weighted fast image shows an area of increased signal intensity (segment VII) within a low signal of the liver parenchyma; D: MR-AP (T1-weighted VIBE) during early venous phase displays an area of decreased enhancement (approx. 3 cm diameter) in segment VIIand various low signal lesions in segments I, IVa, VIII and VII. SPIO: Superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced.