[A comparative study of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and pathological findings of liver fibrosis in rabbits].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the alteration of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in diffusion-weighted MR imaging (MR-DWI) of liver fibrosis and its pathological basis in rabbits.


METHODS
Five rabbits in the control group and 22 with experimental liver fibrosis induced by transperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) were examined with MR-DWI. Diffusion-weighted SE EPI sequence with a relatively high b factor (b=600 s/mm2) was used to measure the ADC. The mean values of ADC were compared among the rabbits in different stages of liver fibrosis and analyzed in relation to the pathological findings.


RESULTS
The mean ADC value decreased significantly with increased severity of liver fibrosis (P<0.05). Pathologically, the amount and extension of fibrotic matrix increased, and the hepatic necroinflammation worsened with the progression of the liver fibrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The ADC value decreases with the progression of liver fibrosis possibly as the result of water diffusion limitation due to increased fibrous tissue in the liver and abnormal water diffusion within the intracellular and extracellular spaces.
Department of Radiology, Guangdong provincial peoples Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China. wangqscmu@gmail.com
Qiu-shi
QS
Wang
Yan
Y
Zou
Hui
H
Liu
Zai-yi
ZY
Liu
Chang-hong
CH
Liang
D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation
D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride