Evaluation of interstitial fibrosis in chronic kidney disease by multiparametric functional MRI and histopathologic analysis

• Published in: European radiology Vol. 33; no. 6; pp. 4138 - 4147
• Main Authors: Mao, Wei, Ding, Xiaoqiang, Ding, Yuqin, Cao, Bohong, Fu, Caixia, Kuehn, Bernd, Benkert, Thomas, Grimm, Robert, Nickel, Dominik, Zhou, Jianjun, Zeng, Mengsu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biopsy; Blood flow; Confidence intervals; Correlation; Diagnostic Radiology; Diffusion coefficient; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Fibrosis; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Histopathology; Humans; IgA nephropathy; Imaging; Immunoglobulin A; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Kidney - pathology; Kidney diseases; Kidneys; Magnetic Resonance; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Mathematical analysis; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neuroradiology; Perfusion; Radiology; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - complications; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - diagnostic imaging; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - pathology; Spin labeling; Ultrasound; Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging; Chronic kidney disease; Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging; Fibrosis
• ISSN: 1432-1084; 0938-7994; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-022-09329-7

Objectives To investigate the diagnostic value of functional MRI to assess renal interstitial fibrosis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods We prospectively recruited 80 CKD patients who underwent renal biopsies and 16 healthy volunteers to undergo multiparametric functional MRI examinations. The Oxford MEST-C classification was used to score the interstitial fibrosis. The diagnostic performance of functional MRI to discriminate interstitial fibrosis was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results IgA nephropathy (60%) accounted for the majority of pathologic type in the CKD patients. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was correlated with interstitial fibrosis (rho = −0.73). Decreased renal blood flow (RBF) derived from arterial spin labeling (rho = −0.78) and decreased perfusion fraction (f) derived from DWI (rho = −0.70) were accompanied by increased interstitial fibrosis. The T1 value from T1 mapping correlated with interstitial fibrosis (rho = 0.67) (all p < 0.01). The areas under the ROC curve for the discrimination of ≤ 25% vs. > 25% and ≤ 50% vs. > 50% interstitial fibrosis were 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.78 to 0.94) and 0.93 (0.86 to 0.98) by ADC, 0.84 (0.74 to 0.91) and 0.94 (0.86 to 0.98) by f, 0.93 (0.85 to 0.98) and 0.90 (0.82 to 0.96) by RBF, and 0.91 (0.83 to 0.96) and 0.77 (0.66 to 0.85) by T1, respectively. Conclusions Functional MRI parameters were strongly correlated with the interstitial fibrosis of CKD. Therefore, it might a powerful tool to assess interstitial fibrosis of CKD noninvasively. Key Points • In CKD patients, the renal cortical ADC value decreased and T1 value increased significantly compared with healthy volunteers. • Functional MRI revealed significantly decreased renal perfusion in CKD patients compared with healthy volunteers. • The renal cortical ADC, f, RBF, and T1 values were strongly correlated with the interstitial fibrosis of CKD.