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Malignant Focal Liver Lesions

  • Chapter
Abdominal and Pelvic MRI

Part of the book series: Medical Radiology ((Med Radiol Diagn Imaging))

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Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the preferred imaging methods for focal liver disease, but debate continues as to which should be the modality of choice. Currently, MRI can be considered a complementary method to CT and often is used as a problem-solving modality. CT’s high resolution and rapid imaging time coupled with complete and accurate evaluation of the entire abdomen have given CT an increasing role in the diagnosis and management of vascular disorders, particularly vascular invasion by tumor and portal vein thrombosis; however, in equivocal cases, MRI can be diagnostic with one sequence alone. Often, MRI readily distinguishes between bland thrombus and tumor thrombus. Even though the final role of MRI in the armamentarium of imaging techniques for the liver is not completely defined, distinctive MRI features for characterization of malignant liver lesions have been recognized. Gadolinium enhancement often adds to the characterization of focal liver lesions which are based on Tl- and T2-weighted sequences. More recently, liver-specific contrast agents have been introduced which promise to further improve results with MRI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of California, Box 0628, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0628, USA

    Ruedi F. Thoeni MD (Professor of Radiology)

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  1. Ruedi F. Thoeni MD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Radiologisches Zentrum München-Pasing, Pippinger Strasse 25, 81245, München, Germany

    Andreas Heuck MD (Professor) (Professor)

  2. Institut für Klinische Radiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Klinikum Groβhadern, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, München, Germany

    Maximilian Reiser MD (Professor) (Professor)

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Thoeni, R.F. (2000). Malignant Focal Liver Lesions. In: Heuck, A., Reiser, M. (eds) Abdominal and Pelvic MRI. Medical Radiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18194-8_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18194-8_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-67216-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-18194-8

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