Techniques for liver MR imaging

MR imaging provides exquisite, versatile, and unique soft tissue contrast, which allows for an effective evaluation of a wide range of liver disorders. A careful selection of imaging strategies can yield a comprehensive assessment of the liver in a reasonable examination time. Recent advances in MR hardware and software allow for rapid acquisition times that can bypass many of the motion artifacts that previously posed limitations to abdominal MR imaging. The ability to obtain artifact-free images with sufficient contrast-to-noise ratios across a broad range of techniques is now feasible with rapid scanning. This capability has emerged as the result of the implementation of high-performance gradient systems and localized phased-array body coils. In this article, the authors review the current status of MR imaging strategies for the evaluation of the liver, with an emphasis on the use of fast scanning techniques.