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.

1 Functional cytoarchitecture of the normal liver and focal liver lesions.- 2 Sonography of focal liver lesions.- 3 Spiral CT of the liver.- 4 Imaging of hepatic neoplasms in patients with diffuse liver disease.- 5 Detection of liver lesions: CT-arterial portography vs contrast-enhanced CT or MRI.- 6 Surgical aspects in the imaging of focal hepatic lesions.- 7 Potentials of new MRI contrast agents in the characterization of liver malignancies.- 8 Focal liver lesions: magnetic resonance imaging-pathological correlation.- 9 Use of contrast agents in the detection and differentiation of focal liver lesions by MR imaging: Gd-DTPA, Mn-DPDP and iron oxide.- 10 Future techniques in MR imaging of the liver: echo planar imaging.