Cerebral manifestations in liver disease and transplantation

Abstract

Patients with liver disease frequently develop cerebral complications. The brain may be affected directly by the pathological process or agent responsible for the liver disease, as a consequence of the metabolic and haemodynamic derangement caused by hepatic dysfunction, or as a complication of the treatment of liver disease. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be helpful in the diagnosis and management of these complications, and advanced techniques such as diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) are providing new insights into the underlying pathophysiological processes. We present a radiological overview of the cerebral manifestations of liver disease, categorized as acute presentations, chronic presentations, and conditions occurring in the context of liver transplantation.