Magnetic resonance imaging in the exploration of hepatic masses

Exploration was conducted by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 0.15 T in 33 patients with hepatic masses, including 18 with malignant tumors, 11 with benign tumors and 4 with non-tumoral masses. All tumors appeared hyperintensive in relation to liver on images acquired by long TR spin echos (SE) and all, except for one fatty tumor, appeared hypointense in relation to liver on images acquired in inversion-recuperation (IR). The study seemed to provide data demonstrating that MRI at 0.15 T enables visualization of hepatic masses with a degree of precision that approaches that of other imaging methods. Tumors of the small size of the order of a centimetre can be detected. Tumor outlines and vascular relations are clearly demonstrated without use of contrast. Characterization of masses is still insufficient since the simple play of contrasts between tumor, parenchyma and vessels does not allow differentiation of malignant from benign tumors, nor the identification of a given histologic type.