title: Magnetic resonance imaging of the pediatric liver: imaging of steatosis, iron deposition, and fibrosis.
abstract: Traditionally, many diffuse diseases of the liver could only be diagnosed by liver biopsy. Although still considered the gold standard, liver biopsy is limited by its small sample size, invasive nature, and subjectivity of interpretation. There have been significant advances in functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the liver. These advances now provide radiologists with the tools to evaluate the liver at the molecular level, allowing quantification of hepatic fat and iron, and enabling the identification of liver fibrosis at its earliest stages. These methods provide objective measures of diffuse liver processes and aid hepatologists in the diagnosis and management of liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. Electronic address: Alexander.towbin@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Towbin
authors.forename: Suraj D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Serai
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Podberesky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000473:pathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D056888:Patient Positioning / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Fat fractionation; Hepatic fat quantification; Liver; Liver iron quantification; MR elastography