[Rapid spin echo sequences for detection and characterization of focal liver lesions. Use of fast T2-weighted spin echo with fat suppression and fast spin echo with combined gradient echo (GRASE)].

The purpose of this study was to assess the value of fast-spin-echo (FSE) sequences without and with fat suppression as well as gradient-and-spin-echo (GRASE) sequences for the detection and subsequent characterization of focal liver lesions. A total of 51 consecutive patients with clinically suspected focal liver lesions were studied. FSE without fat suppression proved to be valuable for the detection (TE 90 ms) and characterization (TE 158 ms) of focal liver lesions. Fat suppression did not improve the performance of FSE. GRASE sequences with multiple excitations were clinically superior to the faster single-shot approach.