Diffusion-weighted Imaging of the Liver: Primed for New Business

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Medical Imaging
• Biomarkers
• Oncology

Background:

• Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) utilizes MRI gradients to visualize microscopic water diffusion in tissues.
• High cellularity abnormalities, like cancer, are detectable with DWI, establishing it as a quantitative imaging biomarker.
• In liver imaging, DWI is crucial for detecting and characterizing lesions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current state-of-the-art in liver DWI.
• To discuss established and potential future applications of liver DWI.
• To highlight DWI's potential role in liver cancer surveillance and disease management.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on liver DWI.
• Discussion of technical challenges and advancements in liver DWI acquisition.
• Exploration of established and emerging clinical applications.

Main Results:

• DWI is effective for detecting and characterizing liver lesions.
• DWI shows potential as a cost-effective tool for cancer surveillance.
• DWI can quantitatively assess diffuse parenchymal liver disease and treatment response.

Conclusions:

• Liver DWI is a valuable tool with established roles in lesion detection and characterization.
• Despite technical challenges, DWI holds significant potential for liver cancer surveillance and management.
• Further advancements in DWI techniques may expand its utility in assessing diffuse liver diseases and therapy response.