Influence of respiratory movements on relaxation time measurements in the liver using MR imaging

The relaxation times T1 and T2 in the liver were measured in ten patients. Using a 1.5-T Siemens Magnetom scanner, multiple spin-echo sequences with different repetition times were executed with and without respiratory gating. In patients with no or diffuse involvement of the liver there was no significant difference in the calculated T1 and T2 values. In patients with liver metastases the lesion was seen more clearly when respiratory gating was used, and respiratory gating had a significant influence on the calculated relaxation times. Respiratory gating seems necessary for relaxation time measurement only in livers with focal pathology