Effect of magnetic resonance imaging in liver metastases

Abstract

This letter to the editor is a commentary on a study titled "Liver metastases: The role of magnetic resonance imaging." Exploring a noninvasive imaging evaluation system for the biological behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the key to achieving precise diagnosis and treatment and improving prognosis. This review summarizes the role of magnetic resonance imaging in the detection and evaluation of liver metastases, describes its main imaging features, and focuses on the added value of the latest imaging tools (such as T1 weighted in phase imaging, T1 weighted out of phase imaging; diffusion-weighted imaging, T2 weighted imaging). In this study, I investigated the necessity and benefits of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid for HCC diagnostic testing and prognostic evaluation.

Keywords: Liver metastases; Magnetic resonance imaging; Liver-specific contrast agents; Gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Hepatobiliary contrast agents

Core Tip: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive tumor that often goes undetected until it reaches an advanced stage. It is the most prevalent primary malignant tumor of the liver/hepar which ranking as the third leading cause of cancer (tumor)-related deaths worldwide. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered as the prominent imaging method for diagnosing and monitoring HCC. In recent years, with the development and application of magnetic resonance functional and metabolic imaging technology as well as liver-specific contrast agents, MRI not only aids in the early detection and diagnosis of HCC but also reflects the pathogenesis, biological behavior characteristics, and abnormal gene expression at the cellular level of HCC, providing important information for prognosis evaluation, treatment plan selection, and efficacy evaluation of HCC.