Objective To evaluate diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) sequence and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in dif-ferentiation of various solid focal liver lesions (SFLL )commonly encountered .Methods 142 cases with 158 SFLLs underwent breath-hold diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)(b = 500 s/mm2 ) using a 1 .5 Tesla MR scanner .The cases included 7 cases of imma-tured abscesses ,12 cases of FNHs ,74 cases of hepatic cell cancer ,26 cases of cholangiocarcinomaes and 39 cases of metastasises . The signal intensity on DWI ,ADC value and the difference for each type of SFLLs were measured and analyzed .Results 24 cases of SFLLs were manifested as high signal intensity ,132 cases of SFLLs manifested as slightly high signal intensity and only 2 cases of SFLLs manifested as iso-signal intensity on DWI sequence .The mean ADC value ( × 10 - 3 mm2 /s)for immatured abscesses , FNHs ,HCCs ,cholangiocarcinomaes ,metastasises were (1 .48 ± 0 .23) ,(1 .75 ± 0 .26) ,(1 .23 ± 0 .43) ,(1 .47 ± 0 .35) ,(1 .36 ± 0 .33) ,respectively .The difference in ADC values between FNH patients and other SFLLs patients showed statistically significant (P< 0 .01) ,while HCCs immatured abscesses and malignant SFLLs showed no statistical significance (P> 0 .05) .Conclusion The signal intensity on DWI and ADC values may be helpful for diagnosing solid focal liver lesions .