Quantification of liver fibrosis: extracellular volume fraction using an MRI bolus-only technique in a rat animal model.

Hepatic ECV obtained using a single-contrast-bolus technique can be measured 5, 15, and 25 min after injection, obtaining constant values over time, each of them being suitable to detect diffuse hepatic fibrosis. In clinical practice, post-contrast T1 relaxation times for liver ECV fraction determination might be obtained at only one time point.