CT and MR Imaging of Radiation Hepatitis

Abstract

The authors describe two cases of radiation hepatitis evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and CT with CT angiography (CTA) additionally performed in one patient. On CT the radiation hepatitis appeared as sharply demarcated region of lower attenuation than the adjacent normal liver. The region of radiation hepatitis demonstrated decreased perfusion in the portal venous phase of CTA, and 4 min delayed images following CTA showed increased density or relative increased accumulation of contrast. Magnetic resonance in both cases showed that the area of low density on CT had high signal on the T2-weighted image and had increased water content as determined by proton spectroscopic imaging method.