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Hepatic function imaging using dynamic Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI and pharmacokinetic modeling.
Jia Ning1, Zhiying Yang2, Sheng Xie3
1Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|October 28, 2016
Summary
Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) can assess liver function. A specific pharmacokinetic model showed strong correlations between imaging parameters and blood tests, suggesting its potential as a biomarker.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Pharmacokinetics
Background:
- Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) is a valuable tool for assessing liver tissue characteristics.
- Pharmacokinetic modeling of DCE-MRI data allows for quantitative analysis of liver function.
- Gd-EOB-DTPA is a contrast agent commonly used in liver DCE-MRI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between pharmacokinetic modeling parameters derived from DCE-MRI and conventional serum-based liver function tests.
- To compare the goodness of fit of different pharmacokinetic models with varying output assumptions for DCE-MRI data.
- To determine if imaging-based parameters can serve as reliable biomarkers for hepatic function.
Main Methods:
- A 6-minute DCE-MRI protocol was administered to 38 patients.
- Four dual-input two-compartment models and one published one-compartment model were employed to calculate hepatic function parameters.
- The Akaike information criterion was used to assess the goodness of fit, and imaging parameters were correlated with blood chemistry results.
Main Results:
- A dual-input two-compartment model, assuming venous flow equals arterial flow plus portal venous flow and no bile duct output, demonstrated the best fit for liver tissue enhancement.
- This model yielded a relative uptake rate (Kir) that significantly correlated with direct bilirubin (r = -0.52, P = 0.015), prealbumin concentration (r = 0.58, P = 0.015), and prothrombin time (r = -0.51, P = 0.026).
- The chosen model exhibited low fitting error and high correlation with established blood chemistry markers.
Conclusions:
- Evaluating hepatic function using DCE-MRI is feasible with appropriate pharmacokinetic model assumptions.
- The relative uptake rate (Kir) derived from optimized DCE-MRI modeling shows potential as a non-invasive biomarker for liver function.
- This study highlights the utility of advanced imaging analysis in complementing traditional liver function assessments.
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