[MR diagnosis of the liver]

By recent technical development magnetic resonance tomography has brought about essential improvements also for the diagnostics of the liver. For detecting focal lesions the diagnostic value of MRT is equal or superior to CT. For tumour screening at medium magnetic field strengths T1-weighted sequences with short repetition and echo times and multiple averaging of images are indicated. After detection of a pathologic tumourous condition a T2-weighted sequence allows the further differentiation of tissues. Hemangioma, the most frequent hepatic tumour, can be differentiated with high accuracy and non-invasively by MRT. Sonography will keep its place in screening, because of the high numbers of available devices and its low costs. Cystic lesions are better detected and the biliary ducts and be evaluated rapidly and at lower costs than with MR and CT. Gadolinium-DTPA as paramagnetic contrast medium is advised for demonstrating perfusion of hepatic tumours. Ferrites, small ferromagnetic iron particles, may open a new age of tumour screening.