Hepatic imaging with iron oxide magnetic resonance imaging

The management of hepatic tumors presents a challenging problem. The natural history of primary and metastatic liver lesions portends a poor prognosis. However, surgical resection and newer ablative techniques have had a great impact on cure rates. Unfortunately, the majority of newly diagnosed patients have surgically unresectable disease. Advances in hepatic imaging have improved the preoperative evaluation of malignant lesions and greatly assisted in selecting patients for surgical resection or other interventions. Currently, a number of modalities are available for the evaluation of hepatic tumors. This article provides an overview of some of the modalities currently in use, examines the role of iron oxide magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and relates experience with its use at Baylor University Medical Center.