In order to clarify the factors contributing to the signal intensities (SIs) of HCC on T1-weighted images, the amount of water, lipid, copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) was determined in HCC and surrounding hepatic parenchyma of 13 patients. The relationships among these findings, the histopathologic findings, and the SIs of T1-weighted images were evaluated. Among the 13 HCC, 3 had a high SI, 5 were isointense, and 5 had a low SI on T1-weighted images compared to the surrounding hepatic parenchyma. The paramagnetic ions which contributed to the SI patterns were assumed to be Cu in HCC (38.0 +/- 62.4 micrograms/g ww), and Fe in the liver (61.1 +/- 42.4 micrograms/g ww) and HCC (40.0 +/- 34.3 micrograms/g ww). In 8 HCC with high- or isointensity, 2 were grades I, 5 were grade II, and one was grade III according to the Edmondson-Steiner's histopathologic classification. It is concluded that the SI patterns alone can not be a sign of low grade malignancy because of the existence of Fe in livers and HCC.