Out of phase magnetic resonance imaging and liver applications

The increasing indications for MRI evaluation of diseases of the abdomen, especially liver tumors, has promoted the development of sequences allowing further histological characterization. Out of phase sequences provide suppression of lipids and water signal at the cellular level. Available on all MR imagers, it is the most sensitive sequence to depict small amounts of lipids in the liver. Best applications of this sequence include liver steatosis, tumoral characterization with regards to lipid content (adenoma, hepatocellular carcinoma...) and depiction of tumors in abnormal liver. Performed without contrast injection, and using fast imaging acquisition, we believe that out of phase imaging should be performed for magnetic resonance imaging of the liver.