Free-breathing hepatic 2D magnetic resonance elastography.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Hepatology
• Biophysics

Background:

• Liver stiffness measurement is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring liver diseases.
• Conventional 2D MR elastography (MRE) requires breath-holding, which can be challenging for some patients.
• Developing a free-breathing MRE technique can improve patient comfort and accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the test-retest repeatability of a rapid, free-breathing 2D MRE technique.
• To assess the reliability of liver stiffness measurements obtained with free-breathing MRE compared to conventional breath-hold MRE.

Main Methods:

• A rapid, free-breathing 2D MRE technique was developed and tested on 115 participants using 1.5T scanners.
• Technical repeatability was assessed in 15 participants who underwent the technique twice.
• Liver stiffness measurements (LS_F for free-breathing, LS_B for breath-hold) were compared using repeatability coefficients and Spearman correlation.

Main Results:

• The repeatability of free-breathing 2D MRE (20.8%) was comparable to breath-hold MRE (20.4%).
• Free-breathing MRE showed strong agreement and significant correlation with breath-hold MRE (ρ = 0.94, p < 0.001).
• Sex was the only factor significantly affecting measurement agreement after adjusting for age, BMI, and fat fraction.

Conclusions:

• The nongated, free-breathing, multislice 2D MRE technique provides reliable liver stiffness measurements.
• This method offers a comfortable and effective alternative to breath-hold MRE for liver stiffness assessment.
• The technique is particularly beneficial for patients who have difficulty holding their breath.