Quantitative assessment of hepatic function: modified look-locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) sequence for T1 mapping on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MR imaging

• Published in: European radiology 2016-06, Vol.26 (6), p.1775-1782
• Main Authors: Yoon, Jeong Hee, Lee, Jeong Min, Paek, Munyoung, Han, Joon Koo, Choi, Byung Ihn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Adult; Age; Aged; Breath Holding; Contrast Media; Diagnostic Radiology; Endoscopy; Esophageal and Gastric Varices - diagnostic imaging; Esophageal and Gastric Varices - pathology; Female; Gadolinium DTPA; Gastrointestinal; Hepatitis B; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver - pathology; Liver cancer; Liver cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis - diagnostic imaging; Liver diseases; Liver Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neuroradiology; Organ Size; Phantoms, Imaging; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; Retrospective Studies; Serology; Spleen; Spleen - diagnostic imaging; Spleen - pathology; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-015-3994-7

Objectives To determine whether multislice T1 mapping of the liver using a modified look-locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) sequence on gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used as a quantitative tool to estimate liver function and predict the presence of oesophageal or gastric varices. Methods Phantoms filled with gadoxetic acid were scanned three times using MOLLI sequence to test repeatability. Patients with chronic liver disease or liver cirrhosis who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI including MOLLI sequence at 3 T were included ( n  = 343). Pre- and postcontrast T1 relaxation times of the liver (T1liver), changes between pre- and postcontrast T1liver (ΔT1liver), and adjusted postcontrast T1liver (postcontrast T1liver-T1spleen/T1spleen) were compared among Child-Pugh classes. In 62 patients who underwent endoscopy, all T1 parameters and spleen sizes were correlated with varices. Results Phantom study showed excellent repeatability of MOLLI sequence. As Child-Pugh scores increased, pre- and postcontrast T1liver were significantly prolonged ( P