Abdominal Imaging in ADPKD: Beyond Total Kidney Volume

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Radiology
• Biomarkers

Background:

• Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) requires accurate monitoring of disease progression and treatment response.
• Total kidney volume (TKV) is a key metric for assessing ADPKD, serving as a biomarker and potential surrogate endpoint in clinical trials.
• Technological advancements enable precise cyst burden assessment and identification of rapid disease progressors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current and emerging imaging biomarkers for ADPKD.
• To discuss quantification methods for TKV and non-cystic kidney tissue.
• To explore the potential of radiomics in characterizing ADPKD heterogeneity and predicting outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Review of imaging modalities for TKV measurement, including MRI and CT.
• Discussion of automated algorithms for efficient volume quantification.
• Exploration of radiomics for extracting textural features from ADPKD imaging data.
• Consideration of techniques for characterizing non-cystic kidney tissue.

Main Results:

• TKV measurement is established for tracking ADPKD progression and treatment effectiveness.
• Automated algorithms enhance the efficiency of kidney and cyst volume measurements.
• Quantification of non-cystic tissue and radiomics show promise for early patient stratification and predicting renal function decline.
• Radiomics provides insights into the heterogeneity of cystic and non-cystic components in ADPKD.

Conclusions:

• Imaging biomarkers, particularly TKV and radiomics, are crucial for managing ADPKD.
• Advanced imaging techniques and automated analysis improve the assessment of ADPKD.
• Further steps are needed for the successful clinical translation of these novel biomarkers for patient management and clinical trials.