Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 3, 2026
Use of Ultra-high Field MRI in Small Rodent Models of Polycystic Kidney Disease for In Vivo Phenotyping and Drug Monitoring
Published on: June 23, 2015
Kidney morphological parameters measured using noncontrast-enhanced steady-state free precession MRI with spatially
Tadashi Otsuka1,2, Yoshikatsu Kaneko3, Yuya Sato1
1Division of Clinical Nephrology and Rheumatology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Niigata, 951-8510, Japan.
Background:
It is well known that atrophic renal changes are associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, but conventional diagnostic imaging methods such as noncontrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been insufficient for precisely assessing kidney function because they cannot clearly distinguish between the medulla and cortex. Hence, here we used noncontrast-enhanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) MRI with a spatially selective inversion recovery (IR) pulse to improve visibility for renal corticomedullary differentiation and evaluated the association between morphological parameters and kidney function in patients with CKD.
Methods:
Kidney corticomedullary contrast ratio, cortical and medullary areas, and minimal cortical thickness of 107 patients with CKD G1-G5 were measured using SSFP MRI with a spatially selective IR pulse and the association between these morphological parameters and kidney function were evaluated.
Results:
Corticomedullary contrast ratio was significantly improved on SSFP MRI compared with conventional in-phase T1-weighted gradient-echo MRI and positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration ratio (eGFR), raw eGFR, and 24-h creatinine clearance. The medullary and cortical areas and minimal cortical thickness also positively correlated with those of kidney functional markers and the age. In patients with CKD and diabetes mellitus (DM), the correlation coefficients between raw eGFR and morphological parameters were higher than those in patients without DM, while minimal cortical thickness was larger in CKD patients with DM with a raw eGFR ≥ 45 mL/min.
Conclusion:
Kidney morphological parameters measured with SSFP MRI were clearly correlated with kidney function in patients with CKD, including those with advanced kidney dysfunction.
Insights
Noncontrast-enhanced steady-state free precession MRI with a spatially selective inversion recovery pulse improves renal corticomedullary differentiation. This technique reveals morphological parameters that correlate with kidney function in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Atrophic renal changes are linked to chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression.
- Conventional imaging lacks precise renal function assessment due to poor corticomedullary differentiation.
- Noncontrast-enhanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) MRI with a spatially selective inversion recovery (IR) pulse was investigated to enhance this differentiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between renal morphological parameters and kidney function in CKD patients.
- To assess the utility of SSFP MRI with IR pulse for improved corticomedullary differentiation.
Main Methods:
- SSFP MRI with a spatially selective IR pulse was used to image 107 patients with CKD (G1-G5).
- Morphological parameters including corticomedullary contrast ratio, cortical and medullary areas, and minimal cortical thickness were measured.
- Associations between these parameters and kidney function markers (e.g., eGFR, 24-h creatinine clearance) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- SSFP MRI significantly improved corticomedullary contrast ratio compared to conventional MRI.
- Improved contrast ratio positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration ratio (eGFR) and creatinine clearance.
- Morphological parameters also correlated with kidney function markers and age, with stronger correlations observed in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Conclusions:
- Renal morphological parameters measured by SSFP MRI with IR pulse show a clear correlation with kidney function in CKD patients.
- This imaging technique is valuable for assessing kidney function, even in advanced stages of kidney dysfunction.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate Based on Serum Creatinine Concentration
01:25Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Measurement of Glomerular Filtration Rate
01:17Factors Affecting Renal Clearance: Renal Impairment
One condition associated with renal failure is uremia. Uremia is characterized by impaired glomerular filtration and fluid accumulation in the body. This condition hinders the renal clearance of drugs, resulting in drug accumulation and potential...
01:28Chronic Kidney Disease III: Interprofessional Care
01:25Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Measurement of Serum Creatinine Concentration and Clearance
01:02Renal Drug Excretion: Glomerular Filtration
Drugs gain access to the kidney via the renal artery, which progressively branches off into afferent arterioles....