The Hepatic Arterial Buffer Response: A Unifying Concept for Understanding Perfusional Alterations of the Liver

The purpose of this paper is to describe how the hepatic arterial buffer response (HABR) manifests in liver imaging and may act as a unifying concept in understanding perfusional variation seen in all imaging modalities. We will introduce HABR pathophysiology. We will then discuss its influence on hepatic perfusion and its common manifestations in daily clinical practice. Radiologists should be able to use this understanding to better identify and delineate underlying pathology. We will also discuss how the HABR may alter the underlying liver parenchyma and contribute to new pathology.