Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a strongpoint in the detection and characterization of hepatic tumor as it provides multiparametric information. With active implementation of a surveillance program for high-risk hepatocellular carcinoma patients, early hepatocellular carcinoma or cholangiocarcinoma with atypical vascular pattern is being detected with increasing frequency. Therefore, in daily practice, it is challenging to differentiate atypical HCC from dysplastic nodule, hypervascular cholangiocarcinoma and focal nodular hyperplasia-like nodules. Gadoxetic acid and diffusion-weighted imaging has opened new horizons for liver MRI with promising results for liver lesion detection and characterization. Combined both has the potential to be robust liver MR protocol in that it is targeting three processes of hepatic carcinogenesis-hemodynamic changes, hepatocyte function, and tissue diffusivity. In that sense, liver MRI has the potency to fulfill the above two-fold requirement in a more satisfactorily than other liver imaging modalities.

• Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging;Hepatocellular carcinoma;Tumor characterization