[A pilot study of hepatic fibrosis with magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging in a rabbit model].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of MRI diffusion imaging in the diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis.


METHODS
Fifty-eight rabbits were divided randomly into a blank control group (n = 10) and a model group (n = 48). Carbon tetrachloride was injected intraperitoneally into the animals of the model group to induce liver fibrosis. SE-EPI sequence was used in diffusion weighted imaging for all the rabbits. Then apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and exponential apparent diffusion coefficient (EADC) of their livers were obtained with Functool 2.0 software. The degrees of liver fibrosis of the rabbits were graded with histological examinations. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 11.0 statistical software. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare every rank data respectively. P less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.


RESULTS
When the b value was 300 s/mm2, ADC of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was (2.460+/-0.424) x 10(-3) in the control group (S0). ADCs were (2.170+/-0.311) x 10(-3), (1.950+/-0.248) x 10(-3), (1.635+/-0.296) x 10(-3), (1.566+/-0.353) x 10(-3) in the model group (S1, S2, S3 and S4). EADC of DWI was 0.102+/-0.044 in the control group and were 0.167+/-0.047, 0.183+/-0.042, 0.216+/-0.054, 0.219+/-0.048 in the model group (S1, S2, S3 and S4). ADC and EADC of the control group and model group had significant differences (F = 12.13, P = 0.0006; F = 10.06, P = 0.004 respectively). When the b value was 500 s/mm2, ADC of DWI was (2.044+/-0.215) x 10(-3) in the control group, ADC were (1.907+/-0.223) x 10(-3), (1.785+/-0.232) x 10(-3), (1.542+/-0.268) x 10(-3), (1.312+/-0.212) x 10(-3) in the model group (S1, S2, S3 and S4). EADC of DWI was 0.1106+/-0.069 in the control group and EADCs of DWI were 0.1764+/-0.073, 0.1889+/-0.056, 0.2421+/-0.079, 0.2657+/-0.037 in the model group (S1, S2, S3 and S4). ADCs and EADCs of the control group and model group had significant differences (F = 14.57, P = 0.0002; F = 10.42, P = 0.003 respectively). There was a significant difference of ADCs between S1 and S4 of the model group when b value were 300 s/mm2 and 500 s/mm2 (P = 0.03, P = 0.044 respectively). No differences were found between other subgroups in the model group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary study shows that measuring ADCs and EADCs has a good potential in diagnosing and quantifying hepatic fibrosis, especially when using b values of 300 sec/mm2 and 500 sec/mm2.
Hu
Xiao-feng
XF
Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.
Liu
Bin
B
Qian
Yin-feng
YF
Zhang
Cheng
C
Yu
Yong-qiang
YQ
D000818:Animals; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011817:Rabbits