Potential of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) for differential diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fatty liver in rats using magnetic resonance imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the potential of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) for the differential diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fatty liver (FL).


METHODS
Twenty-one male rats were divided into 3 groups. Seven rats in the NASH group were fed a choline-deficient diet for 10 weeks, and the 7 rats in the FL group were fed a standard diet also containing 1% (wt/wt) orotic acid for 4 weeks. As a control, 7 rats were fed a standard diet. After the feeding period, all rats were subjected to contrast-enhanced dynamic and delayed MRI with a 2D-FLASH technique. Gd-DTPA (0.1 mmol Gd/kg) and Gd-EOB-DTPA (0.025 mmol Gd/kg) were injected into the tail vein at 24-hour intervals. Signal intensities of the liver were measured for each MR image and the relative enhancement (RE) was calculated. In addition, the time of maximum RE (Tmax) and the half-life of RE (T1/2) in liver were compared. After MRI, the liver was histologically analyzed to evaluate steatosis, hepatitis, and fibrosis.


RESULTS
Diffuse macrovesicular steatosis and severe fibrosis were observed in the NASH group, whereas diffuse microvesicular steatosis and rare fibrosis were observed in the FL group. Immediately after the Gd-DTPA injection, the RE in the liver of each group temporarily increased, and thereafter, rapid RE reduction was observed. However, a continuous increase and subsequent slow reduction of RE were induced after the Gd-EOB-DTPA injection. Although there was no difference between the Tmax and T1/2 of each group after the Gd-DTPA injection, Tmax and T1/2 of the NASH group were significantly prolonged in comparison with FL and control groups after the Gd-EOB-DTPA injection (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
It was possible to differentiate NASH and FL by evaluating the SI time course on Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI.
Tsuda
Natsuko
N
Business Unit Diagnostic Imaging, Nihon Schering K. K., Nishimiyahara, Osaka, Japan. ntsuda@schering.co.jp
Okada
Masahiro
M
Murakami
Takamichi
T
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
D003287:Contrast Media; C073590:gadolinium ethoxybenzyl DTPA; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA