Abstract： Objective To investigate its dynamic characteristics and pathological mechanism on magnatic resonance diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) after chemoembolization in rabbit liver VX-2 tumor model.Methods Forty New Zealand rabbits were included in the study and forty-seven rabbit VX-2 tumor models were raised by implanting directly and intrahepatically after abdominal cavity was opened.Forty VX-2 tumor models from them were divided into four groups.DWI was performed periodically and respectively for each group after chemoembolization.All VX-2 tumor samples of each group were studied by pathology.The distinction of VX-2 tumors on DWI was assessed by their apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values.The statistical significance between different time groups,different area groups,or different b-value groups was calculated using SPSS 12.0 software.Results When b-value was 100 s/mm2,ADC values in the area of VX-2 tumor periphery,VX-2 tumor central,or normal liver parenchyma around tumor became gradually low in sixteen hours after chemoembolization,and were the lowest at sixteenth hour,and then they increased gradually from sixteenth hour to fourty-eighth hour after chemoembolization.The distinction of ADC between different time groups was significant,respectively ( F =7.325,P ＜ 0.01 ; F =2.496,P ＜ 0.05 ; F =6.856,P ＜0.01 ).Cellular edema in the area of VX-2 tumor periphery or normal liver parenchyma around tumor increased quickly in sixteen hours after chemoembolization; however,from sixteenth hour to forty-eighth hour,cellular edema in the area of normal liver parenchyma around tumor decreased gradually and that in the area of VX-2 tumor periphery decreased lightly at first and then increased continually.Cellular necrosis in the area of VX-2 tumor periphery after chemoembolization was more significant than that before chemoembolization.The areas of dead cells in VX-2 tumors manifested low signal and high ADC value while the areas of viable cells manifested high signal and low ADC value.Conclusions DWI is able to detect and discriminate tumor necrotic areas from viable cellular areas before and after chemoembolization.ADC of normal liver parenchyma and VX-2 tumor are influenced by intracellular edema,tissue cellular death,and microcirculation disturbance after chemoembolization.