MR imaging of diffuse liver disease. Hepatic fat and iron.

This article reviews the various disorders that result in abnormal iron and fat within the liver. MR techniques that detect and characterize fat and iron are discussed. Chemical shift images are useful in detecting intracellular lipid and can characterize diffuse hepatic steatosis as well as focal areas of fatty sparing and fatty infiltration. T2*-weighted gradient-echo sequences are useful in detecting hepatic iron. Typical imaging features of genetic hemochromatosis and hepatic iron from blood transfusions are described.