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Multiple Choice

On MRI, hepatic hemangiomas typically show which signal on T2-weighted images?

Very high T2 signal reflects the fluid-filled vascular spaces of hepatic hemangiomas. The cavernous channels with slow blood flow and high water content give a long T2 relaxation time, so these lesions appear extremely bright on T2-weighted MRI, often brighter than the surrounding liver. This striking T2 hyperintensity is a hallmark that helps distinguish hemangiomas from lesions that are only mildly hyperintense or hypointense on T2, and from those with diffusion restriction, which is not typical for hemangiomas. While other features and sequences are used in conjunction for diagnosis, the defining signal on T2 is the very bright appearance.

Very high T2 signal reflects the fluid-filled vascular spaces of hepatic hemangiomas. The cavernous channels with slow blood flow and high water content give a long T2 relaxation time, so these lesions appear extremely bright on T2-weighted MRI, often brighter than the surrounding liver. This striking T2 hyperintensity is a hallmark that helps distinguish hemangiomas from lesions that are only mildly hyperintense or hypointense on T2, and from those with diffusion restriction, which is not typical for hemangiomas. While other features and sequences are used in conjunction for diagnosis, the defining signal on T2 is the very bright appearance.