Iron deposition surrounding the hepatic veins of cirrhotic patients on MRI

Purpose: To provide the first description of a pattern of iron deposition surrounding the hepatic veins in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and postulate the reason for these findings. Materials and Methods: Two institutions' teaching files were searched for abdominal MRI studies between January 2003 and April 2009 which showed iron deposition within the liver surrounding the hepatic veins. MRI exams were reviewed by two radiologists for iron deposition and signs of portal hypertension. Liver explant pathology reports were also reviewed. Results: Four patients with alcoholic cirrhosis demonstrated perihepatic vein low signal intensity on T1 gradient echo images correlating with iron overload confirmed at histopathologic evaluation of explanted livers. Conclusion: This is the first described uncommon distribution of iron deposition surrounding the hepatic veins. This pattern is well seen on in-phase T1 gradient echo sequences because of the T2* effects in this sequence.