Normative values for magnetic resonance elastography-based liver stiffness in a healthy population

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Medical Imaging
• Biophysics

Background:

• Chronic liver disease and fibrosis are major global health concerns.
• Conventional imaging lacks sensitivity for early fibrosis detection.
• Liver biopsy, the gold standard, has limitations and patient acceptance issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine normal liver stiffness values in healthy adults.
• Establish a baseline for detecting early liver fibrosis.
• Validate magnetic resonance elastography for non-invasive liver assessment.

Main Methods:

• 102 healthy volunteers underwent magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) using a 1.5T scanner.
• Transverse wave propagation images were captured and converted to elastograms.
• Liver stiffness was quantified in kilopascals (kPa).

Main Results:

• The mean liver stiffness in healthy adults was 2.14 (0.28) kPa.
• Stiffness values ranged from 1.37 to 2.66 kPa across the cohort.
• No significant difference in stiffness was observed between sexes.

Conclusions:

• Normal liver stiffness in healthy adults is below 2.7 kPa.
• Liver stiffness is not significantly influenced by sex, BMI, or body fat content.
• MRE provides a reliable, non-invasive measure of liver stiffness.