Assessment of hepatic perfusion in transplanted livers by pharmacokinetic analysis of dynamic magnetic resonance measurements.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to validate the assessment of hepatic perfusion by pharmacokinetic analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance image series.


METHODS
Dynamic measurements were performed with a saturation recovery turbo fast low angle shot (ie, FLASH) sequence over the course of approximately 4 minutes in 17 patients with transplanted livers. By pharmacokinetic analysis using an open 2-compartment model, we estimated and correlated an amplitude of signal enhancement, A, and the perfusion rate, kp, with invasive perfusion measurements from implanted thermo-diffusion probes (FTDP).


RESULTS
Data analysis for segment IV of the transplanted livers yielded a mean blood flow of 81 +/- 19 mL/min/100g and a mean perfusion rate of 13 +/- 6 minutes. There was a significant correlation between FTDP and kp (rS = 0.64, P = 0.01) but not with A.


CONCLUSIONS
Although our open 2-compartment model oversimplifies the complexity of hepatic perfusion, it allows a numerically robust estimation of regional blood flow per unit of blood volume. Thus, dynamic magnetic resonance imaging represents a noninvasive method to assess hepatic perfusion rate which can be visualized in color coded images.
Scharf
Johann
J
Department of Neuroradiology, University of Heidelberg, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany. johann.scharf@rad.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
Kemmling
Andre
A
Hess
Thomas
T
Mehrabi
Arianeb
A
Kauffmann
Guenter
G
Groden
Christoph
C
Brix
Gunnar
G
D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010477:Perfusion; D013997:Time Factors
D003287:Contrast Media