title: Focal lesions in the cirrhotic liver: high resolution ex vivo MRI with pathologic correlation.
abstract: Cirrhosis is a progressive, diffuse process of liver fibrosis that is characterized by architectural distortion and the development of a spectrum of nodules ranging from benign regenerative nodules to premalignant dysplastic nodules to overtly malignant hepatocellular carcinoma. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate the ex vivo MR and pathology findings of these nodules as well as other masses that can be seen in the cirrhotic liver. The optimal conditions under which ex vivo imaging can be performed allow greater spatial resolution than that achieved with in vivo imaging, without artifacts that may degrade image quality. Clearly, contrast-enhanced MRI is essential for both the diagnosis and the characterization of focal lesions in the cirrhotic liver. However, the use of ex vivo imaging precludes the evaluation of these important in vivo pulse sequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kaplan Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Krinsky
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Theise
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests