David Bowden1, Richard Black2, Lorenzo Mannelli3, Andrew Patterson1, Andrew N. Priest2, Andrew B. Gill2, Ilse Joubert1, Peter Beddy4, Owen Thomas1, David J.
1Department of Radiology, Addenbrookes Hospital & University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom; 2Department of Medical Physics, Addenbrookes Hospital & University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom; 3Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; 4Department of Radiology, St.Jame's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) MRI is a non-invasive technique that detects signal changes in tissues that occur in response to changes in blood flow. Technical challenges have presented significant barriers to its use outside the brain. Via the study of nine patients with hepatocellular carcinoma on a background of diffuse liver disease, we have demonstrated significant differences in BOLD effect between normal liver, diseased liver and primary liver tumours (HCC) at 3 Tesla using the simple challenge strategy of increased inspired oxygen. Normal, control subjects with healthy livers demonstrated no significant BOLD effect.