Assessment of clinical signs of liver cirrhosis using T1 mapping on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3T MRI

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 12; p. e85658
• Main Authors: Haimerl, Michael, Verloh, Niklas, Zeman, Florian, Fellner, Claudia, Müller-Wille, René, Schreyer, Andreas G, Stroszczynski, Christian, Wiggermann, Philipp
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 31.12.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Bile; Biopsy; Case-Control Studies; Cirrhosis; Female; Gadolinium; Gadolinium DTPA; Hepatology; Humans; Hypertension; Image contrast; Image enhancement; Laboratories; Liver; Liver - cytology; Liver - pathology; Liver cancer; Liver cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis - diagnosis; Liver Cirrhosis - pathology; Liver diseases; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Mapping; Medical imaging; Middle Aged; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Parenchyma; Patients; Reduction; Rodents; Time Factors; Tomography; Ultrasonic imaging; Germany
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085658

To assess the differences between normal and cirrhotic livers by means of T1 mapping of liver parenchyma on gadoxetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced 3 Tesla (3T) MR imaging (MRI). 162 patients with normal (n = 96) and cirrhotic livers (n = 66; Child-Pugh class A, n = 30; B, n = 28; C, n = 8) underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3T MRI. To obtain T1 maps, two TurboFLASH sequences (TI = 400 ms and 1000 ms) before and 20 min after Gd-EOB-DTPA administration were acquired. T1 relaxation times of the liver and the reduction rate between pre- and post-contrast enhancement images were measured. The T1 relaxation times for Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI showed significant differences between patients with normal liver function and patients with Child-Pugh class A, B, and C (p < 0.001). The T1 relaxation times showed a constant significant increase from Child-Pugh class A up to class C (Child-Pugh class A, 335 ms ± 80 ms; B, 431 ms ± 75 ms; C, 557 ms ± 99 ms; Child-Pugh A to B, p < 0.001; Child-Pugh A to C, p < 0.001; Child-Pugh B to C, p < 0.001) and a constant decrease of the reduction rate of T1 relaxation times (Child-Pugh class A, 57.1% ± 8.8%; B, 44.3% ± 10.2%, C, 29.9% ± 6.9%; Child-Pugh A to B, p < 0.001; Child-Pugh A to C,p < 0.001; Child-Pugh B to C, p < 0.001). Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced T1 mapping of the liver parenchyma may present a useful method for determining severity of liver cirrhosis.