Fast magnetic resonance imaging of liver.
Recent magnetic resonance (MR) units with a stronger gradient system have allowed various fast MR imaging techniques to develop. These fast scan techniques have easily realized breath-holding acquisition in the liver and the image quality has been greatly improved without sacrificing spatial resolution. The majority of the fast imaging techniques have been devoted to T2-weighted imaging to obtain useful T2-weighted images in the shortest possible time. Among the fast sequences, fast spin-echo (FSE) sequence is the most promising technique and allows high-quality T2-weighted images with reduced motion artifacts. However, FSE sequences using multiple refocused pulses may essentially realize only poor soft-tissue contrast due to magnetization transfer and T2-filtering effects, and therefore, echo-planar (EP) imaging is expected to provide high image contrast. In addition, single-shot EP imaging allows even diffusion-weighted (DW) and perfusion-weighted (PW) imaging in the liver due to its short scanning time. Recent development of fast gadolinium-enhanced 3D MR angiography has also impacted liver imaging. Combined with such gadolinium-enhanced 3D-MRA sequences and zerofilling image interpolation technique, biphasic gadolinium-enhanced 3D-MRA (whole-liver dynamic MR imaging in the arterial phase and MR portography in the portal phase) can be obtained.
Ichikawa
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Department of Radiology, Yamanashi Medical University, Japan.
Araki
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D003287:Contrast Media; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media