[Changing paradigms in liver imaging].
The landscape of liver imaging today comprises modalities that did not even exist 40 years ago. Conversely, older methods vanished. New technological developments of ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) have been such a rushing job that they preceded and even induced changes in medical decision making. Nowadays, these methods have reached their initial goal, mainly anatomical (US, CT, MRI) or metabolic (PET). Therefore, medical strategy, guidelines and standardization occupy now the front of the scene. However, techniques are still headed towards new horizons. This outreach program is functional imaging (perfusion US, CT and MRI of tumors and liver parenchyma), structural imaging (diffusion weighted MRI for fibrosis of tumors, texture analysis in US and CT, MR spectroscopy), "multi-metabolic" imaging (new tracers for PET). All these modalities are new insights into the cell or even the molecule. Adding their strengths, they will also reinforce the concept of hybrid imaging, either by virtue of new combined machines (PET-MRI) or based on new developments of image fusion. The creation of this new knowledge will necessitate remodeling of boundaries between savvy physicians.
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Service de Radiologie, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, 75571 Paris cedex 12, France. yves.menu@sat.aphp.fr
D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000639:trends; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000639:trends; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000639:trends; D014463:Ultrasonography