MR relaxometry of the liver: significant elevation of T1 relaxation time in patients with liver cirrhosis

• Published in: European radiology Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 1224 - 1232
• Main Authors: Heye, Tobias, Yang, Schu-Ren, Bock, Michael, Brost, Sylvia, Weigand, Kilian, Longerich, Thomas, Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich, Hosch, Waldemar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.06.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; Biopsy; Diagnostic Radiology; Female; Health care; Hepatitis; Hepatobiliary-Pancreas; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Liver cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis - pathology; Liver diseases; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neuroradiology; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Ultrasound; Germany; Quantitative; MRI; Liver cirrhosis; Liver; Relaxation times
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-012-2378-5

Objectives To evaluate hepatic relaxation times T1, T2 and T2* in healthy subjects and patients with liver cirrhosis stratified by the Child-Pugh classification (CPC). Methods Sixty-one consecutive patients were stratified by CPC (class A = 26; B = 20; C = 15) and compared with age-matched controls ( n  = 31). Relaxometry measurements were performed at 1.5 T using six saturation recovery times (200–3,000 ms) to determine liver T1, six echo times (TE 14–113 ms) for T2 and eight TE (4.8–38 ms) for T2* assessment. Signal intensities in selected regions of interest in the liver parenchyma were fitted to theoretical models with least squares minimisation algorithms to determine T1, T2 and T2*. Results The most significant difference was the higher T1 values (852 ± 132 ms) in cirrhotic livers compared with controls (678 ± 45 ms, P  < 0.0001). A less significant difference was seen for T2* (23 ± 5 vs. 26 ± 7 ms). Subdifferentiation showed a statistically significant difference between control group and individual CPC classes as well as between class C and classes A or B for T1 relaxation times. Conclusion Measurement of T1 relaxation time can differentiate healthy subjects from patients with liver cirrhosis, and can distinguish between mild/moderate disease (CPC A/B) and advanced disease (CPC C). Key Points • Significantly elevated magnetic resonance T1 relaxation times are found in liver cirrhosis. • T1 relaxation times can distinguish healthy subjects from patients with liver cirrhosis. • T1 relaxation times can distinguish Child–Pugh classes A and B from C.