Perfusion homogeneity of hepatic parenchyma in magnetic resonance imaging during splenoportography.

Objective: To evaluate the homogeneity of hepatic parenchyma enhancement in magnetic resonance imaging during splenoportography (MRSP) in the portal phase.

Methods: MRSP was performed in 16 patients suspected of space-occupying lesions in the livers. The signal intensity of non-lesion abnormal perfusion areas and that of peripheral parenchyma were measured in all the scanning phases including unenhanced phase, portographic phase, equilibrium phase, and delayed phase.

Results: Perfusion abnormalities were observed in 8 non-lesion foci in the portal phase in 4 cases of hepatic cirrhosis, most frequently appearing in triangle or fan-like shapes (7/8) with unpredictable locations. Hepatic cirrhosis patients had more non-lesion perfusion abnormalities than non-cirrhosis patients.

Conclusions: The presence of non-lesion perfusion abnormalities in MRSP does not affect the diagnosis of the disease, and more homogeneous enhancement of the hepatic parenchyma in the portal phase can be achieved in MRSP than in CT during arterial portography and magnetic resonance imaging during arterial portography.