Pre-operative enhanced magnetic resonance imaging combined with clinical features predict early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after radical resection

BACKGROUND Indentifying predictive factors for postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has great significance for patient prognosis.AIM To explore the value of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid(Gd-EOB-DTPA)enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)combined with clinical features in predicting early recurrence of HCC after resection.METHODS A total of 161 patients with pathologically confirmed HCC were enrolled.The patients were divided into early recurrence and non-early recurrence group based on the follow-up results.The clinical,laboratory,pathological results and Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI imaging features were analyzed.RESULTS Of 161 patients,73 had early recurrence and 88 were had non-early recurrence.Univariate analysis showed that patient age,gender,serum alpha-fetoprotein level,the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage,China liver cancer(CNLC)stage,microvascular invasion(MVI),pathological satellite focus,tumor size,tumor number,tumor boundary,tumor capsule,intratumoral necrosis,portal vein tumor thrombus,large vessel invasion,nonperipheral washout,peritumoral enhancement,hepatobiliary phase(HBP)/tumor signal intensity(SI)/peritumoral SI,HBP peritumoral low signal and peritumoral delay enhancement were significantly associated with early recurrence of HCC after operation.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patient age,MVI,CNLC stage,tumor boundary and large vessel invasion were independent predictive factors.External data validation indicated that the area under the curve of the combined predictors was 0.861,suggesting that multivariate logistic regression was a reasonable predictive model for early recurrence of HCC.CONCLUSION Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI combined with clinical features would help predicting the early recurrence of HCC after operation.

Is it a normal phenomenon for pediatric patients to have brain leptomeningeal contrast enhancement on 3-tesla magnetic resonance imaging?

Determining whether sevoflurane sedation in children leads to“pseudo”prominent leptomeningeal contrast enhancement(pLMCE)on 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging will help reduce overdiagnosis by radiologists and clarify the pathophysiological changes of pLMCE.

Does sevoflurane sedation in pediatric patients lead to“pseudo”leptomeningeal enhancement in the brain on 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging?

BACKGROUND Prominent leptomeningeal contrast enhancement(LMCE)in the brain is observed in some pediatric patients during sedation for imaging.However,based on clinical history and cerebrospinal fluid analysis,the patients are not acutely ill and do not exhibit meningeal signs.Our study determined whether sevoflurane inhalation in pediatric patients led to this pattern of‘pseudo’LMCE(pLMCE)on 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).AIM To highlight the significance of pLMCE in pediatric patients undergoing enhanced brain MRI under sedation to avoid misinterpretation in reports.METHODS A retrospective cross-sectional evaluation of pediatric patients between 0-8 years of age was conducted.The patients underwent enhanced brain MRI under inhaled sevoflurane.The LMCE grade was determined by two radiologists,and interobserver variability of the grade was calculated using Cohen’s kappa.The LMCE grade was correlated with duration of sedation,age and weight using the Spearman rho rank correlation.RESULTS A total of 63 patients were included.Fourteen(22.2%)cases showed mild LMCE,48(76.1%)cases showed moderate LMCE,and 1 case(1.6%)showed severe LMCE.We found substantial agreement between the two radiologists in detection of pLMCE on post-contrast T1 imaging(kappa value=0.61;P<0.001).Additionally,we found statistically significant inverse and moderate correlations between patient weight and age.There was no correlation between duration of sedation and pLMCE.CONCLUSION pLMCE is relatively common on post-contrast spin echo T1-weighted MRI of pediatric patients sedated by sevoflurane due to their fragile and immature vasculature.It should not be misinterpreted for meningeal pathology.Knowing pertinent clinical history of the child is an essential prerequisite to avoid radiological overcalling and the subsequent burden of additional investigations.

Evaluating pediatric ureteropelvic junction obstruction:Dynamic magnetic resonance urography vs renal scintigraphy 99mtechnetium mercaptoacetyltriglycine

BACKGROUND Ureteropelvic junction obstruction(UPJO)is a common congenital urinary tract disorder in children.It can be diagnosed as early as in utero due to the presence of hydronephrosis or later in life due to symptomatic occurrence.AIM To evaluate the discrepancy between dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance urography(dMRU)and scintigraphy 99m-technetium mercaptoacetyltriglycine(MAG-3)for the functional evaluation of UPJO.METHODS Between 2016 and 2020,126 patients with UPJO underwent surgery at Robert DebréHospital.Of these,83 received a prenatal diagnosis,and 43 were diagnosed during childhood.Four of the 126 patients underwent surgery based on the clinical situation and postnatal ultrasound findings without undergoing functional imaging evaluation.Split renal function was evaluated preoperatively using scintigraphy MAG-3(n=28),dMRU(n=53),or both(n=40).In this study,we included patients who underwent surgery for UPJO and scintigraphy MAG-3+dMRU but excluded those who underwent only scintigraphy MAG-3 or dMRU.The patients were divided into groups A(<10%discrepancy)and B(>10%discrepancy).We examined the discrepancy in split renal function between the two modalities and investigated the possible risk factors.RESULTS The split renal function between the two kidneys was compared in 40 patients(28 boys and 12 girls)using scintigraphy MAG-3 and dMRU.Differential renal function,as determined using both modalities,showed a difference of<10%in 31 children and>10%in 9 children.Calculation of the relative renal function using dMRU revealed an excellent correlation coefficient with renal scintigraphy MAG-3 for both kidneys.CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrated that dMRU is equivalent to scintigraphy MAG-3 for evaluating split renal function in patients with UPJO.

Role of pulmonary perfusion magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension:A review

Among five types of pulmonary hypertension,chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension(CTEPH)is the only curable form,but prompt and accurate diagnosis can be challenging.Computed tomography and nuclear medicine-based techniques are standard imaging modalities to non-invasively diagnose CTEPH,however these are limited by radiation exposure,subjective qualitative bias,and lack of cardiac functional assessment.This review aims to assess the methodology,diagnostic accuracy of pulmonary perfusion imaging in the current literature and discuss its advantages,limitations and future research scope.

Discrimination of Metastatic from Non-metastatic Mesorectal Lymph Nodes in Rectal Cancer Using Quantitative Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Preoperative detection of lymph nodes（LNs） metastasis is always highly challenging for radiologists nowadays. The utility of quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging（QDCE-MRI） in identifying LNs metastasis is not well understood. In the present study, 59 patients with histologically proven rectal carcinoma underwent preoperative QDCE-MRI. The short axis diameter ratio, long axis diameter ratio, short-to-long axis diameter ratio and QDEC-MRI parameters（Ktrans, Kep, fPV and Ve） values were compared between the non-metastatic（n=44） and metastatic（n=35） LNs groups based on pathological examination. Compared with the non-metastatic group, the metastatic group exhibited significantly higher short axis diameter（7.558±0.668 mm vs. 5.427±0.285 mm）, Ktrans（0.483±0.198 min-1 vs. 0.218±0.116 min^-1） and Ve（0.399±0.118 vs. 0.203±0.096） values（all P〈0.05）. The short-to-long axis diameter ratio, long axis diameter ratio, Kep and fPV values did not show significant differences between the two groups. In conclusion, our results showed that for LNs larger than 5 mm in rectal cancer, there are distinctive differences in the Ktrans and Ve values between the metastatic and non-metastatic LNs, suggesting that QDCE-MRI may be potentially helpful in identifying LNs status.

Reactive lymphoid hyperplasia of the liver:Perinodular enhancement on contrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

We report the case of a 69-year-old woman with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia(RLH) of the liver.She underwent partial hepatectomy under a preoperative diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma; however,histopathological analysis revealed RLH.The liver nodule showed the imaging feature of perinodular enhancement in the arterial dominant phase on contrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging,which could be a useful clue for identifying RLH in the liver.Histologically,the perinodular enhancement was compatible with prominent sinusoidal dilatation surrounding the liver nodule.

Dual-input two-compartment pharmacokinetic model of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the feasibility of a dual-input two-compartment tracer kinetic model for evaluating tumorous microvascular properties in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). METHODS: From January 2014 to April 2015, we prospectively measured and analyzed pharmacokinetic parameters [transfer constant(K_(trans)), plasma flow(F_p), permeability surface area product(PS), efflux rate constant(k_(ep)), extravascular extracellular space volume ratio(V_e), blood plasma volume ratio(V_p), and hepatic perfusion index(HPI)] using dual-input two-compartment tracer kinetic models [a dual-input extended Tofts model and a dual-input 2-compartment exchange model(2CXM)] in 28 consecutive HCC patients. A well-known consensus that HCC is a hypervascular tumor supplied by the hepatic artery and the portal vein was used as a reference standard. A paired Student's t-test and a nonparametric paired Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to compare the equivalent pharmacokinetic parameters derived from the two models, and Pearson correlation analysis was also applied to observe the correlations among all equivalent parameters. The tumor size and pharmacokinetic parameters were tested by Pearson correlation analysis, while correlations among stage, tumor size and all pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed by Spearman correlation analysis. RESULTS: The F_p value was greater than the PS value(F_P = 1.07 m L/m L per minute, PS = 0.19 m L/m L per minute) in the dual-input 2CXM; HPI was 0.66 and 0.63 in the dual-input extended Tofts model and the dualinput 2CXM, respectively. There were no significant differences in the K_(ep), V_p, or HPI between the dual-input extended Tofts model and the dual-input 2CXM(P = 0.524, 0.569, and 0.622, respectively). All equivalent pharmacokinetic parameters, except for V_e, were correlated in the two dual-input two-compartment pharmacokinetic models; both Fp and PS in the dualinput 2CXM were correlated with K_(trans) derived from the dual-input extended Tofts model(P = 0.002, r = 0.566; P = 0.002, r = 0.570); K_(ep), V_p, and HPI between the two kinetic models were positively correlated(P = 0.001, r = 0.594; P = 0.0001, r = 0.686; P = 0.04, r = 0.391, respectively). In the dual input extended Tofts model, V_e was significantly less than that in the dual input 2CXM(P = 0.004), and no significant correlation was seen between the two tracer kinetic models(P = 0.156, r = 0.276). Neither tumor size nor tumor stage was significantly correlated with any of the pharmacokinetic parameters obtained from the two models(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: A dual-input two-compartment pharmacokinetic model(a dual-input extended Tofts model and a dual-input 2CXM) can be used in assessing the microvascular physiopathological properties before the treatment of advanced HCC. The dual-input extended Tofts model may be more stable in measuring the V_e; however, the dual-input 2CXM may be more detailed and accurate in measuring microvascular permeability.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of prostate cancer: A review of current methods and applications

In many areas of oncology, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI) has proven to be a clinically useful, non-invasive functional imaging technique to quantify tumor vasculature and tumor perfusion characteristics. Tumor angiogenesis is an essential process for tumor growth, proliferation, and metastasis. Malignant lesions demonstrate rapid extravasation of contrast from the intravascular space to the capillary bed due to leaky capillaries associated with tumor neovascularity. DCE-MRI has the potential to provide information regarding blood flow, areas of hypoperfusion, and variations in endothelial permeability and microvessel density to aid treatment selection, enable frequent monitoring during treatment and assess response to targeted therapy following treatment. This review will discuss the current status of DCE-MRI in cancer imaging, with a focus on its use in imaging prostate malignancies as well as weaknesses that limit its widespread clinical use. The latest techniques for quantification of DCE-MRI parameters will be reviewed and compared.

Prediction of radiosensitivity in primary central nervous system germ cell tumors using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

Objective： To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging（DCEMRI） for predicting tumor response to radiotherapy in patients with suspected primary central nervous system（CNS） germ cell tumors（GCTs）.Methods： DCE-MRI parameters of 35 patients with suspected primary CNS GCTs were obtained prior to diagnostic radiation, using the Tofts and Kermode model. Radiosensitivity was determined in tumors diagnosed 2 weeks after radiation by observing changes in tumor size and markers as a response to MRI. Taking radiosensitivity as the gold standard, the cut-off value of DCE-MRI parameters was measured by receiver operating characteristic（ROC） curve. Diagnostic accuracy of DCE-MRI parameters for predicting radiosensitivity was evaluated by ROC curve.Results： A significant elevation in transfer constant（K^trans） and extravascular extracellular space（Ve）（P=0.000）, as well as a significant reduction in rate constant（Kep）（P=0.000） was observed in tumors. K^trans, relative K^trans, and relative Kep of the responsive group were significantly higher than non-responsive groups. No significant difference was found in Kep, Ve, and relative Ve between the two groups. Relative K^trans showed the best diagnostic value in predicting radiosensitivity with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 91.7%, positive predictive value（PPV） of 95.8%, and negative predictive value（NPV） of 100%.Conclusions： Relative K^trans appeared promising in predicting tumor response to radiation therapy（RT）. It is implied that DCE-MRI pre-treatment is a requisite step in diagnostic procedures and a novel and reliable approach to guide clinical choice of RT.

Mammography combined with breast dynamic contrast-enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of early breast cancer

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the application of mammography combined with breast dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI) for the diagnosis of early breast cancer. Methods Mammography and DCE-MRI were performed for 120 patients with breast cancer(malignant, 102; benign; 18). Results The sensitivity of mammography for early diagnosis of breast cancer was 66.67%, specificity was 77.78%, and accuracy was 68.33%. The sensitivity of MRI for early diagnosis of breast cancer was 94.12%, specificity was 88.89%, and accuracy was 93.33%. However, the sensitivity of mammography combined with DCE-MRI volume imaging with enhanced water signal(VIEWS) scanning for early diagnosis of breast cancer was 97.06%, specificity was 94.44%, and accuracy was 96.67%. Conclusion Mammography combined with DCE-MRI increased the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of diagnosing early breast cancer.

Application of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI)combined with magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS)in prostate cancer diagnosis

Objective The aim of the study was to investigate the application of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI)combined with magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS)in prostate cancer diagnosis.Methods In the outpatient department of our hospital(Sichuan Cancer Hospital,Chengdu,China),60 patients diagnosed with prostate disease were selected randomly and included in a prostate cancer group,60 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia were included in a proliferation group,and 60 healthy subjects were included in a control group,from January 2013 to January 2017.Using Siemens Avanto 1.5 T high-field superconducting MRI for DCE-MRI and MRS scans,after the MRS scan was completed,we used the workstation spectroscopy tab spectral analysis,and eventually obtained the crest lines of the prostate metabolites choline(Cho),creatine(Cr),citrate(Cit),and the values of Cho/Cit,and(Cho+Cr)/Cit.Results Participants who had undergone 21-s,1-min,and 2-min dynamic contrast-enhanced MR revealed significant variations among the three groups.The spectral analysis of the three groups revealed a significant variation as well.DCE-MRI and MRS combined had a sensitivity of 89.67%,specificity of 95.78%,and accuracy of 94.34%.Conclusion DCE-MRI combined with MRS is of great value in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Quantitative parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of hepatic benign and malignant lesions and their clinical value

Objective:To determine the quantitative parameter levels of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of hepatic benign and malignant lesions and to explore their value for the evaluation of the disease.Methods: A total of 67 patients with primary liver cancer and 78 patients with hepatic benign lesion were selected as the liver cancer group and hepatic benign lesion group respectively. The preoperative quantitative parameter levels of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of the two groups were measured, and the correlation of the specific parameter levels with liver cancer-related proliferation and invasion gene expression was evaluated.Results: The mean time to enhance (MET) and maximum slope of increase (MSI) levels of the liver cancer group were lower than those of the hepatic benign lesion group while the maximum slope of decrease (MSD) level was higher than that of the hepatic benign lesion group. Proliferation genes PRMT5, CDCA5, SIRT2, XIAP and Cep55 mRNA expression in the lesion tissues of the liver cancer group were all higher than those of the hepatic benign lesion group;invasion genes Cripto-1 and IFITM3 mRNA expression were higher than those of the hepatic benign lesion group while KLF4 and HOXA9 mRNA expression were lower than those of the hepatic benign lesion group. Pearson test showed that the quantitative parameters MET, MSI and MSD levels of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in liver cancer tissues were directly correlated with the proliferation and invasion activity of cancer cells.Conclusion: The quantitative parameters MET, MSI and MSD levels of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of liver cancer are significantly abnormal, and the specific levels could objectively reflect the tumor malignancy.

Breast dynamic contrast-enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging and radiomics:State of art

Breast cancer represents the most common malignancy in women,being one of the most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality.Ultrasound,mammography,and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)play a pivotal role in the diagnosis of breast lesions,with different levels of accuracy.Particularly,dynamic contrastenhanced MRI has shown high diagnostic value in detecting multifocal,multicentric,or contralateral breast cancers.Radiomics is emerging as a promising tool for quantitative tumor evaluation,allowing the extraction of additional quantitative data from radiological imaging acquired with different modalities.Radiomics analysis may provide novel information through the quantification of lesions heterogeneity,that may be relevant in clinical practice for the characterization of breast lesions,prediction of tumor response to systemic therapies and evaluation of prognosis in patients with breast cancers.Several published studies have explored the value of radiomics with good-to-excellent diagnostic and prognostic performances for the evaluation of breast lesions.Particularly,the integrations of radiomics data with other clinical and histopathological parameters have demonstrated to improve the prediction of tumor aggressiveness with high accuracy and provided precise models that will help to guide clinical decisions and patients management.The purpose of this article in to describe the current application of radiomics in breast dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI.

Quantitative assessment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B and C: T1 mapping on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging

AIM To assess the accuracy of Look-Locker on gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid(GdEOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) for staging liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B/C(CHB/C).METHODS We prospectively included 109 patients with CHB or CHC who underwent a 3.0-Tesla MRI examination, including T1-weighted and Look-Locker sequences for T1 mapping. Hepatocyte fractions(He F) and relaxation time reduction rate(RE) were measured for staging liver fibrosis. A receiver operating characteristic analysis using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC) was used to compare thediagnostic performance in predicting liver fibrosis between He F and RE.RESULTS A total of 73 patients had both pathological results and MRI information. The number of patients in each fibrosis stage was evaluated semiquantitatively according to the METAVIR scoring system: F0, n = 23(31.5%); F1, n = 19(26.0%); F2, n = 13(17.8%); F3, n = 6(8.2%), and F4, n = 12(16.4%). He F by EOB enhancement imaging was significantly correlated with fibrosis stage(r =-0.808, P < 0.05). AUC values for diagnosis of any(≥ F1), significant(≥ F2) or advanced(≥ F3) fibrosis, and cirrhosis(F4) using He F were 0.837(0.733-0.913), 0.890(0.795-0.951), 0.957(0.881-0.990), and 0.957(0.882-0.991), respectively. He F measurement was more accurate than use of RE in establishing liver fibrosis staging, suggesting that calculation of He F is a superior noninvasive liver fibrosis staging method.CONCLUSION A T1 mapping-based He F method is an efficient diagnostic tool for the staging of liver fibrosis.

Perfusion magnetic resonance imaging of the liver

Perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies quantify the microcirculatory status of liver parenchyma and liver lesions, and can be used for the detection of liver metastases, assessing the effectiveness of antiangiogenic therapy, evaluating tumor viability after anticancer therapy or ablation, and diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and its severity. In this review, we discuss the basic concepts of perfusion MRI using tracer kinetic modeling, the common kinetic models applied for analyses, the MR scanning techniques, methods of data processing, and evidence that supports its use from published clinical and research studies. Technical standardization and further studies will help to establish and validate perfusion MRI as a clinical imaging modality.

Texture analysis on parametric maps derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in head and neck cancer

AIM: To investigate the merits of texture analysis on parametric maps derived from pharmacokinetic modeling with dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI) as imaging biomarkers for the prediction of treatment response in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC). METHODS: In this retrospective study,19 HNSCC patients underwent pre- and intra-treatment DCEMRI scans at a 1.5T MRI scanner. All patients had chemo-radiation treatment. Pharmacokinetic modeling was performed on the acquired DCE-MRI images,generating maps of volume transfer rate(Ktrans) and volume fraction of the extravascular extracellular space(ve). Image texture analysis was then employed on maps of Ktrans and ve,generating two texture measures: Energy(E) and homogeneity.RESULTS: No significant changes were found for the mean and standard deviation for Ktrans and ve between pre- and intra-treatment(P > 0.09). Texture analysis revealed that the imaging biomarker E of ve was significantly higher in intra-treatment scans,relative to pretreatment scans(P < 0.04). CONCLUSION: Chemo-radiation treatment in HNSCC significantly reduces the heterogeneity of tumors.

Diagnostic value of gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced hepatocyte-phase magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating hepatic fibrosis and hepatitis

AIM To evaluate the diagnostic value of gadobenate dimeglumine(Gd-BOPTA)-enhanced hepatocyte-phase magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in evaluating hepatic fibrosis and hepatitis.METHODS Hepatocyte-phase images of Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI were retrospectively evaluated in 76 patients with chronic liver disease. These patients were classified into five groups according to either the histopathological fibrosis stage(S0-S4) or the histopathological hepatitis grade(G0-G4). The relative enhancement ratio(RE) of the liver parenchyma in the T1-vibe sequence was calculated by measuring the signal intensity before(SI pre) and 90 min after(SI post) intravenous injection of Gd-BOPTA using the following formula: RE =(SI post-SI pre)/SI pre. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the difference between the relative RE in the hepatocyte phase(REh) and the stage of hepatic fibrosis and the grade of hepatitis. Pearson's productmoment correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the REh and the levels of serologic liver functional parameters.RESULTS According to histopathological hepatic fibrosis stage, the 76 patients were classified into five groups: 16 in S0, 15 in S1, 21 in S2, 9 in S3, and 15 in S4 group. According to histopathological hepatitis grade, the 76 patients were also classified into five groups: 0 in G0, 44 in G1, 22 in G2, 8 in G3, and 2 in G3 group. With regard to the stage of hepatic fibrosis, REh showed significant differences between the S2 and S3 groups and between the S2 and S4 groups(P < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the other groups. With regard to the grade of hepatitis, REh showed significant differences between the G1 and G2 groups and between the G1 and G4 groups(P < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the other groups. Increased REh showed correlations with decreased serum levels of TB, ALT and AST(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION To some extent, measuring the REh using Gd-BOPTAenhanced MRI might be a noninvasive technique for assessing the stage of hepatic fibrosis. This method is able to differentiate no/mild hepatitis from advanced hepatitis. TB, ALT and AST levels can predict the degree of liver enhancement in the hepatocyte phase of Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI.

In vivo tracking of human adipose-derived stem cells labeled with ferumoxytol in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion by magnetic resonance imaging

Ferumoxytol, an iron replacement product, is a new type of superparamagnetic iron oxide ap- proved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Herein, we assessed the feasibility of tracking transplanted human adipose-derived stem cells labeled with ferumoxytol in middle cerebral artery occlusion-injured rats by 3.0 T MRI in vivo. 1 × 104 human adipose-derived stem cells labeled with ferumoxytol-heparin-protamine were transplanted into the brains of rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion. Neurologic impairment was scored at 1, 7, 14, and 28 days after transplantation. T2-weighted imaging and enhanced susceptibility-weighted angiography were used to observe transplanted cells. Results of imaging tests were compared with results of Prussian blue staining. The modified neurologic impairment scores were significantly lower in rats transplanted with cells at all time points except I day post-transplantation compared with rats without transplantation. Regions with hypointense signals on T2-weighted and enhanced susceptibility-weighted angiography images corresponded with areas stained by Prussian blue, suggesting the presence of superparamagnetic iron oxide particles within the engrafted cells. Enhanced susceptibility-weighted angiography image exhibited better sensitivity and contrast in tracing ferumoxytol-heparin-protamine-labeled human adipose-derived stem ceils compared with T2-weighted imaging in routine MRI.

Clinical applications of advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques for arthritis evaluation

Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) has allowed a comprehensive evaluation of articular disease, increasing the detection of early cartilage involvement, bone erosions, and edema in soft tissue and bone marrow compared to other imaging techniques. In the era of functional imaging, new advanced MRI sequences are being successfully applied for articular evaluation in cases of inflammatory, infectious, and degenerative arthropathies. Diffusion weighted imaging, new fat suppression techniques such as DIXON, dynamic contrast enhanced-MRI, and specific T2 mapping cartilage sequences allow a better understanding of the physiopathological processes that underlie these different arthropathies. They provide valuable quantitative information that aids in their differentiation and can be used as potential biomarkers of articular disease course and treatment response.