Main description:

Recent advances in surgical procedures for the management of focal liver diseases have greatly increased the demand for diagnostic accuracy. So far these demands have been only partially met by further technical developments such as colour coded duplex sonography, spiral CT and marked improvements in magnetic resonance imaging. It is becoming increasingly clear that liver specific contrast media are essential for utilizing these technical developments to their fullest advantage in patient care.
Against this background, a workshop was held to explore the current methods of diagnostic imaging of the liver and to try and establish a profile for the future liver specific contrast media.
The pathologist's introductory and general overview is followed by chapters on the individual imaging procedures such as ultrasound, CT and MRI, so that each of the three is given the attention it deserves. The book will be of interest to radiologists from the various disciplines, and also those who plan and perform therapies, particularly surgeons and internists.

Contents:

Introduction. 1. Focal Liver Lesions -- Detection Rate, Size, Tissue Components, Histopathology. 2. Focal Liver Lesions -- Detection Rate by Ultrasound, Sonomorphology. 3. Focal Liver Lesions -- Spiral CT and Particulated Contrast Agents. 4. Diffuse Liver Disease Obscuring Malignant Lesions -- Need and Merit of Contrast Agents (CT and MRI). 5. Detection of Liver Lesions: CT Arterial Portography vs (a) Contrast Enhanced CT; (b) Contrast Enhanced MRI. 6. Focal Liver Lesions -- Surgical Aspects. Preoperative vs. Intraoperative Findings; Consequences for the Patient Management. 7. Experimental Contrast Enhanced MRI of the Liver and Clinical Experience. 8. Focal Liver Lesions -- MR Imaging and Pathologic Correlation. 9. Detection and Differential Diagnosis of Focal Liver Lesions -- Plain vs Contrast Enhanced MRI. 10. Future Techniques in MRI (Echo Planar, Fast Imaging) Need of Contrast Agents in Liver Diagnostics. Index.