Purpose : We undertook this study to evaluate breath-hold Half-Fourier Acquisition Single-shot TSE(HASTE) and single-shot echo planar MR imaging for the detection of focal hepatic masses. Materials and Methods : Using a 1.5T superconductive system, HASTE, vascular dephasing inversion recovery spin echo EP(VDIR-SE-EP), inversion recovery spin echo EP(IR-SE-EP), and free induction decay EP(FID-EP) were performed in 31 patients with 34 focal liver masses. Images were compared on the basis of detection sensitivity of focal hepatic masses, liver signal-to-noise ratio(S/N), lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio(C/N), and image quality. Images analysis was performed by two radiologists, who reached a consensus. Results : The detection sensitivity of focal hepatic masses with HASTE was94.1%, with VDIR-SE-EP and IR-SE-EP, this was 91.2%, and with FID-EP, the figure was 88.2%. Liver S/Ns were highest on HASTE images, which were significantly better(p<.05) than the three types of EP image. Overall lesion-to-liver C/Ns were highest on VDIR-SE-EP and IR-SE-EP(p<.05). Lesion-to-liver C/Ns were highest on VDIR-SE-EP and IR-SE-EP for solid lesions, but for non-solid lesions, were highest on HASTE (p<.05). Compared with HASTE images, EP images were poor. Conclusion : For the detection of focal hepatic masses, the sensitivity of VDIR-SE-EP and IR-SE-EP was similar to that of HASTE. When using the former, acquisition time was substantially reduced but image quality was poor.