Objective：To evaluate the feasibility of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) application in follow-up of patients receiving transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for liver cancer and its clinical value. Methods: DWI and routine non-enhanced MRI were performed in 16 liver cancer patients after TACE with the same SE-EPI sequence (b=500 s/mm2 and 0) on 1.5 T MRI. The numbers of the new lesions detected by DWI, T1WI and T2WI were counted. Contrast noise ratios (CNR) between new lesions and liver tissues on DWI and T2WI were calculated and compared. The efficacy of SWI in diagnosis of residual tumor and recurrent cancer was qualitatively evaluated by comparing with DSA results. Results: DWI revealed 46 new lesions, T2WI revealed 43, and T1WI revealed 38. There was significant difference in CNR between new lesions and liver tissues on DWI and T2WI (P＜0.05). The signal intensities of liver cancer on DWI were complicated after TACE. Homogeneous accumulation of iodized oil was observed on DSA in 2 of 16 patients with liver cancer after TACE; there was no tumor staining on DSA at the corresponding site of homogeneous hypointensity on DWI. Partial defect of accumulation of iodized oil was noticed in 2 of 16 patients; there was tumor staining on DSA at the corresponding site of hyperintensity on DWI. No or faint accumulation of iodized oil was noticed in 12 patients; there was strong tumor staining at the corresponding site of hyperintensity on DWI; necrosis tumor had no or slight tumor staining on DSA at the corresponding site of hypointensity on DWI. Conclusion: Diffusion MRI is a sensitive method for detecting new lesions in patients with liver cancer after TACE, and can be used to monitor residual, recurrent cancer and iodized oil accumulation during follow-up of patients after TACE.