CT and MR perfusion techniques to assess diffuse liver disease.

Abstract

Perfusion imaging allows for the quantitative extraction of physiological perfusion parameters of the liver microcirculation at levels far below the spatial the resolution of CT and MR imaging. Because of its peculiar structure and architecture, perfusion imaging is more challenging in the liver than in other organs. Indeed, the liver is a mobile organ and significantly deforms with respiratory motion. Moreover, it has a dual vascular supply and the sinusoidal capillaries are fenestrated in the normal liver. Using extracellular contrast agents, perfusion imaging has shown its ability to discriminate patients with various stages of liver fibrosis. The recent introduction of hepatobiliary contrast agents enables quantification of both the liver perfusion and the hepatocyte transport function using advanced perfusion models. The purpose of this review article is to describe the characteristics of liver perfusion imaging to assess chronic liver disease, with a special focus on CT and MR imaging.