Hepatic vascular anatomy on magnetic resonance imaging

This study evaluated the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to depict the hepatic vasculature and surgical anatomy of the liver using the transaxial, coronal, and sagittal planes. Retrospective analysis of the abdominal MRI examinations of 94 patients was performed. The spin-echo imaging technique was used to obtain transaxial images in all patients and coronal and sagittal sections in 35 of these patients. Overall, the hepatic vasculature was better delineated on the longer repetition rates (2000 msec TR) and the first echo images (28 msec TE). The inferior vena cava, right and middle hepatic veins, and main and right portal veins were seen in 100% of the cases in the transaxial plane. The left hepatic vein was seen in 98%, the left portal vein in 93%, and the hepatic artery in 44% in the transaxial plane. In the sagittal and coronal planes, the inferior vena cava and main and right portal veins were seen in 100% of cases. The other hepatic vasculature was less frequently demonstrated. In the sagittal plane, the right hepatic vein was seen in 85% of the cases, the left hepatic vein in 62%, the middle hepatic vein in 90%, the left portal vein in 90%, and the hepatic artery in 14%. In the coronal plane, the right hepatic vein was seen in 85% of cases, the left hepatic vein in 14%, the middle hepatic vein in 79%, the left portal vein in 71%, and the hepatic artery in 7%. These results are from preliminary work. Further developments with MRI technology may render better visualization of hepatic vasculature.