Assessment of hepatic perfusion parameters with dynamic MRI.
Quantification of hepatic perfusion parameters greatly contributes to the assessment of liver function. The purpose of this study was to describe and validate the use of dynamic MRI for the noninvasive assessment of hepatic perfusion parameters. The signal from a fast T(1)-weighted spoiled gradient-echo sequence preceded by a nonslice-selective 90 degrees pulse and a spoiler gradient was calibrated in vitro with tubes filled with various gadolinium concentrations. Dynamic images of the liver were obtained after intravenous bolus administration of 0.05 mmol/kg of Gd-DOTA in rabbits with normal liver function. Hepatic, aortic, and portal venous signal intensities were converted to Gd-DOTA concentrations according to the in vitro calibration curve and fitted with a dual-input one-compartmental model. With MRI, hepatic blood flow was 100 +/- 35 mL min(-1) 100 mL(-1), the arterial fraction 24 +/- 11%, the distribution volume 13.0 +/- 3.7%, and the mean transit time 8.9 +/- 4.1 sec. A linear relationship was observed between perfusion values obtained with MRI and with radiolabeled microspheres (r = 0.93 for hepatic blood flow [P < 0.001], r = 0.79 for arterial blood flow [P = 0.01], and r = 0.91 for portal blood flow [P < 0.001]). Our results indicate that hepatic perfusion parameters can be assessed with dynamic MRI and compartmental modeling.
Materne
R
R
Department of Radiology, Université Catholique de Louvain, St-Luc University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
Smith
A M
AM
Peeters
F
F
Dehoux
J P
JP
Keyeux
A
A
Horsmans
Y
Y
Van Beers
B E
BE
D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011817:Rabbits
D003287:Contrast Media; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C050823:gadolinium 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N'',N'''-tetraacetate; D005682:Gadolinium