ABSTRACT

The use of cellular contrast agents is helpful for further evaluation of liver disease. Imaging of the liver is performed mainly for the detection of focal liver lesions and differentiation of benign from malignant lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered a state-of-the-art technique for liver imaging. It is superior to other imaging modalities because the anatomic resolution provided by magnetic resonance (MR) images is as low as 1 to 2 mm in-plane at clinical field strengths of 1.5 tesla and tissue-specific techniques can aid to further characterize pathologic conditions in the liver. The use of these agents has been considered essential for evaluation of the full complexity of abdominal disease in patients evaluated with MR imaging for a diverse range of indications. Liver-specific contrast agents make up a group of contrast agents that reveal intracellular uptake by cells located in the liver.