Via practica 1/2015

Advanced MRI methods for assessment of liver fibrosis and cirhosis

With recent advanced MRI methods such as perfusion-weighted and diffusion-weighted MRI, MR elastography and MRI organ-specific contrast agents, can now be applied to liver imaging in liver fibrosis. We will review the respective roles of these techniques for assessment of liver fibrosis and cirhosis. MRI plays an increasingly important role in assessment of patients with chronic liver disease because of the lack of ionizing radiation, and the possibility of performing multiparametric imaging, without using liver biopsy for assessment of liver fibrosis.

Keywords: liver fibrosis, liver cirhosis, MRI, DWI, PWI.