title: The value of MRI in the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis and assessment of liver fibrosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate MRI findings in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and to determine the value of MRI in the diagnosis of PBC and assessment of liver fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study reviewed the prevalence of MRI abnormalities seen in 45 PBC patients in the past four years, including 33 patients who underwent liver biopsy. Correlation between the MRI findings and the pathological stage was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 33 patients who underwent liver biopsy. Twenty-five patients (75.8%) had non-homogeneous changes in the liver signal intensity, 25 (75.8%) had a periportal halo sign, and 29 (87.9%) had lymphadenopathy. The short axis of the enlarged lymph nodes was a mean of 1.2±0.3 cm. A strong positive correlation was observed between histological stage and the inhomogeneity of liver signal intensity (P<0.001). There were significant differences among the four histological stages based on the periportal halo sign (P=0.034), and the grading of the periportal halo sign was found to be significantly correlated with the histological stage (P<0.001). Grading of the periportal halo sign was significantly different at stage II versus III, and stage III versus IV; no significant difference was found between stages I and II. There were also no significant differences among the four histological states in the occurrence and size of enlarged lymph nodes (P=0.674 and P=0.394).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRI is valuable in the diagnosis of PBC, and the periportal halo sign and liver signal intensity help to evaluate the degree of liver fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yuting
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Mingming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged