Quantitative evaluation of liver function with gadoxetic acid enhanced MRI: Comparison among signal intensity-, T1-relaxometry-, and dynamic-hepatocyte-specific-contrast-enhanced MRI- derived parameters
Qiang Wang, Savas Kesen, Maria Liljeroth, Henrik Nilsson, Ying Zhao, Ernesto Sparrelid, Torkel B. Brismar
Abstract
AIMS: Three types of gadoxetic acid enhanced MRI parameters have been proposed to quantify liver function. However, until now there is no consensus on which one that has the greatest potential for use in clinical practice. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of three types of gadoxetic acid enhanced MR parameters for quantitative assessment of liver function. METHODS: Imaging data of 10 patients with chronic liver disease and 20 healthy volunteers were analyzed. Parameters based on signal intensity(SI), T1 changes or dynamic-hepatocyte-specific-contrast-enhancement MR were calculated. Their mutual correlations, discriminatory capacity between cirrhotic and healthy liver and correlations with Child-Pugh score and Model for end-stage liver-disease (MELD) were estimated. RESULTS: < .05). CONCLUSION: Simple SI-based parameters were as good as more complex parameters in evaluating liver function at gadoxetic acid enhanced MR. In clinical routine LMR seems to be the easiest-to-use parameter for quantitative evaluation of liver function.