Using magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging to evaluate renal function changes in diabetic patients with...

To investigate the clinical value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in assessing renal function changes in diabetic patients with early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the relationship of DTI parameters with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary biomarkers.

Thirty-six patients with diabetes mellitus (DM; 30 CKD stage 1 and 6 CKD stage 2) and 26 healthy control subjects were enrolled. DTI was performed using a clinical 3 T MRI system. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values were calculated from the renal cortex and medulla. The correlation of the DTI parameters with eGFR and urinary biomarkers was evaluated.

FA values were significantly reduced in the renal cortex and medulla of DM group compared with the control group (cortical FA, Z=-2.834, p=0.005; medullary FA, t=2.768, p=0.007). In the DM group, FA values in the renal cortex and medulla were positively correlated with eGFR, while FA values in the medulla were negatively correlated with the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio, urinary alpha-1 microglobulin/creatinine ratio, and urinary transferring/creatinine ratio. ADC values in the renal cortex and medulla showed a trend towards an increase in the DM group compared with the control group.

Renal DTI is a promising method for assessing early renal function changes in DM patients.