Objective To investigate the role of perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） in evaluation of cirrhotic liver. Methods With a 4F catheter

1% diluted carbon tetrachloride （1 ml/kg） was selectively injected into right or left hepatic artery of 12 dogs fortnightly. The half liver into which carbon tetrachloride was injected was called as study side （SS）

while the other half liver without carbon tetrachloride injection was called as study control side （SCS）. Conventional and perfusion-weighted MRI were performed in every 4 weeks. Via a 4F catheter

5ml gadolinium diethylentriamine pentaaceti acid （Gd-DTPA） dilution was injected into superior mesenteric artery at the 5th scan. The signal intensity-time curves of SS

SCS

and portal vein were completed in MR workstation. The maximal relative signal increase （MRSI）

peak time （t

p ）

and slope of the curves were measured. Results On conventional MR images

no abnormalities of externality and signal intensity were observed in both SS and SCS of liver at each stage. The mean t

p

MRSI

and slope of intensity-time curves in normal liver were 10.56 seconds

1.01

and 10.23 arbitrary unit （au）/s

respectively. Three parameters of curves didn’t show obvious change in SCS of liver at every stage. Abnormal perfusion curves occurred in SS of liver at the 12th week after the 1st injection. The abnormality of perfusion curve in SS was more and more serious as the times of injection increased. The mean t

p

MRSI

and slope intensity-time curves in SS of liver were 19.45 seconds

0.43

and 3.60 au/s respectively at the 24th week. Conclusion Perfusion-weighted imaging can potentially provide information about portal perfusion of hepatic parenchyma

and to some degree

reflect the severity of cirrhosis.