Clinical Significance of Liver MR Imaging

Abstract

MRI is widely used in clinical practice for detecting liver diseases. Since the introduction of gadoxetic acid, MRI has become the most effective modality for the detection and characterization of focal liver lesions. According to previous meta-analyses, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was 0.97–0.99 for the diagnosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma (≥ 2 cm) by gadoxetic-acid-enhanced MRI. Moreover, the AUROC for the diagnosis of colorectal liver metastases was significantly high (0.98). Despite gadoxetic acid’s drawbacks, its clinical utility outweighs them, making it the contrast agent of choice in routine liver MRIs. Moreover, clinically, liver MRI has become more prevalent for a quantitative assessment. Liver fibrosis can be evaluated using MR elastography; whereas, hepatic steatosis and iron overload can be evaluated using proton density fat fraction, with high accuracy and reproducibility. This article reviewed the usefulness of liver MRI, which can be a comprehensive imaging modality in clinical practice.

Gadoxetic Acid–Enhanced Liver MRI

“…Because of its excellent effectiveness in lesion detection and analysis, GA is primarily used in Japan for MRI of the liver. 3,4 Gadoxetic acidenhanced MRI offers higher diagnostic accuracy versus contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT). Despite its drawbacks, GA is currently the preferred contrast agent for routine MRI of the liver.…”

“…Thus, GA-enhanced MRI (GA-MRI) has been used for 15 and 20 years in Japan and worldwide, respectively. Because of its excellent effectiveness in lesion detection and analysis, GA is primarily used in Japan for MRI of the liver 3,4 . Gadoxetic acid–enhanced MRI offers higher diagnostic accuracy versus contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT).…”

Influência de polimorfismos no gene MTTP nos níveis de lipídeos e na esteatose associada à infecção crônica pelo vírus da hepatite C

“…Entretanto Ichikawa e Goshima (2023) concluíram que a técnica que melhor avalia a esteatose hepática é MRI-PDFF, enquanto que a elastografia por ressonância magnética (RM) é a técnica que melhor avalia a fibrose hepática (Ichikawa;Goshima, 2023).…”