Magnetic resonance imaging of the cirrhotic liver: An update

Figure 2 Value of proper timing for detecting hypervascular hepatic lesions. A-B: Post-contrast fat-suppressed 3D-GRE T1-weighted images acquired 4 mo apart. A: Initial scanning shows contrast in the portal vain branches (arrowhead, A), without opacification of the hepatic veins (arrow, A), suggesting late hepatic arterial phase timing; the optimal time for detecting hypervascular pathologies, with demonstration of multiple lesions; B: A subsequent scan acquired 4 mo later shows contrast in the hepatic artery without opacification of the portal vein branches (arrowhead, B), suggesting an early arterial timing, without evidence of hypervascular lesions. A subsequent scan was acquired (not shown); which confirmed the persistence of these hypervascular lesions. GRE: Gradient recalled echo.