Hepatobiliary Imaging

Suresh K. Mukherji, MD, MBA, FACR, Consulting Editor

I have always viewed hepatobiliary magnetic resonance (MR) as a microcosm of how to expand technology and grow our specialty. I was a first-year radiology resident at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and was present the first time gadolinium was administered in a clinical brain MR study. Over the next 20 years, we have seen tremendous improvements in MR technology coupled with innovative ways to apply MR to other parts of the body. Many of you may be of the “vintage” that only knew one imaging technique (ultrasound) to image the gallbladder, and visualization of the ductal system was sparse at best.

Because of the thought leadership of experts such as Drs Abramson and Liu, we can now provide exquisite imaging of the hepatobiliary system that allows diagnosis of complex hepatobiliary pathologies and facilitates the subsequent multidisciplinary treatment planning among the different treating clinical services, including diagnostic and interventional radiologists, hepatologists, medical oncologists, hepatobiliary/transplant surgeons, and radiation oncologists.

I want thank Drs Abramson and Liu for creating such a wonderful state-of-the-art issue of Magnetic Resonance Clinics of North America and the article authors for their outstanding contributions. I also want to take this opportunity to personally thank Peter Liu for his friendship over the past 15 years. Peter and I were office core-mates at the University of Michigan and shared so many wonderful times helping build the MR program along with Hero Hussain and Tom Chenevert. This was truly a special time in my life, and I thank Peter for being such a wonderful colleague and an even better friend. Thank you, Peter!

Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue