Magnetic resonance elastography can discriminate normal vs. abnormal liver biopsy in candidates for live liver donation

• Published in: Abdominal imaging 2015-04, Vol.40 (4), p.795-802
• Main Authors: Gallegos-Orozco, Juan F., Silva, Alvin C., Batheja, Mashal J., Chang, Yu-Hui, Hansen, Kathleen L., Lam-Himlin, Dora, De Petris, Giovanni, Aqel, Bashar A., Byrne, Thomas J., Carey, Elizabeth J., Douglas, David D., Mulligan, David C., Silva, Annelise M., Rakela, Jorge, Vargas, Hugo E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biopsy; Diagnosis, Differential; Elasticity Imaging Techniques - methods; Female; Gastroenterology; Hepatology; Humans; Imaging; Liver - pathology; Liver Cirrhosis - pathology; Living Donors; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; ROC Curve
• ISSN: 0942-8925; 2366-004X; 1432-0509; 2366-0058
• DOI: 10.1007/s00261-014-0310-y

Purpose The aim of this study was to define liver shear stiffness by magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) that distinguishes normal from abnormal liver biopsy, especially when steatosis ≥20%, among potential live liver donors. Methods Baseline clinical, laboratory, imaging, MRE, and liver biopsy results were recorded. Using MRE, hepatic shear stiffness in kilopascals (kPa) was measured and compared to liver biopsy. Comparison between groups was done using χ 2 or Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and Wilcoxon test for continuous variables. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was calculated to assess diagnostic accuracy. Statistical significance was set at p