Clinical applications of liver magnetic resonance elastography: Focal liver lesions

Liver is a common site for both benign and malignant focal lesions. Focal liver lesions (FLLs) are often difficult to characterize with available radiological techniques as the imaging characteristics frequently overlap between FLLs. Malignant tumors are known to be stiffer than normal tissues and methods that provide stiffness information may be useful. MR elastography, by evaluating the stiffness of a FLL, may provide a new quantitative parameter for characterizing FLLs. Preliminary experience with FLLs has demonstrated that MRE can differentiate malignant liver tumors from benign tumors and normal liver parenchyma. The clinical utility of MRE in characterization of FLLs needs to be explored further.