Dynamic measurements of total hepatic blood flow with Phase Contrast MRI

To measure total hepatic blood flow including portal and proper hepatic artery flows as well as the temporal evolution of the vessel's section during a cardiac cycle.

Twenty healthy subjects, with a mean age of 26 years, were explored. Magnetic resonance imaging blood flow measurements were carried out in the portal vein and the proper hepatic artery. MR studies were performed using a 1.5T imager (General Electric Medical Systems). Gradient-echo 2D Fast Cine Phase Contrast sequences were used with both cardiac and respiratory gatings. Data analysis was performed using a semi-automatic software built in our laboratory.

The total hepatic flow rate measured was 1.35+/-0.18L/min or 19.7+/-4.6mL/(minkg). The proper hepatic artery provided 19.1% of the total hepatic blood flow entering the liver. Those measurements were in agreement with earlier studies using direct measurements. Mean and maximum velocities were also assessed and a discrepancy between our values and the literature's Doppler data was found. Measurements of the portal vein area have shown a mean variation, defined as a "pulsatility" index of 18% over a cardiac cycle.

We report here proper hepatic artery blood flow rate measurements using MRI. Associated with portal flow measurements, we have shown the feasibility of total hepatic flowmetry using a non-invasive and harmless technique.