[Role of magnetic resonance imaging in liver pathology]

The increasingly common use of ultrasound examination of the liver has led to increased detection of hepatic tumours, showing a hitherto unsuspected prevalence. Improved techniques in MRI, such as dynamic sequences and new contrast media, are ameliorating the detection and characterization of the lesions, in particular with regard to computed tomography. In addition, since MRI is more sensitive to different components than in computed tomography, it permits better study of diffuse diseases such as haemochromatosis or fatty infiltration, particularly in pseudotumoural forms. The continuing progress in system improvement makes MRI an excellent method for diagnosis of bile duct disorders, especially in case of obstruction.