Associations between histologic features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and quantitative diffusion-weighted MRI measurements in adults

Paul Murphy; Jonathan Hooker; Brandon Ang; Tanya Wolfson; Anthony Gamst; Mark Bydder; Michael Middleton; Michael Peterson; Cynthia Behling; Rohit Loomba; Claude Sirlin

doi:10.1002/jmri.24755

Associations between histologic features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and quantitative diffusion-weighted MRI measurements in adults

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2015 Jun;41(6):1629-38. doi: 10.1002/jmri.24755. Epub 2014 Sep 25.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Liver Imaging Group, Department of Radiology, University of California - San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
² NAFLD Translational Research Unit, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California - San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
³ Computational and Applied Statistics Lab, San Diego Supercomputing Center, San Diego, California, USA.
⁴ Western Washington Pathology, Tacoma, Washington, USA.
⁵ Pacific Rim Pathology, San Diego, California, USA.
⁶ Division of Epidemiology, Department of Family and Preventative Medicine, University of California - San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate in adults the associations between histologic features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and quantitative measures derived from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

Materials and methods: Eighty-nine adults undergoing standard-of-care liver biopsy for NAFLD were recruited for DWI. Biopsies were scored for histologic features of NAFLD. DWI was performed using b-values of 0, 100, and 500 s/mm(2) . Images were reconstructed using either conventional magnitude averaging (CMA) or a method to address bulk motion artifacts (Beta*LogNormal, BLN). The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and the diffusivity (D) and perfusion fraction (F) of the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model were measured in the right hepatic lobe using both reconstructions. Associations between histologic features and DWI-derived measures were tested statistically with several methods including multiple linear regression.

Results: Using CMA and BLN reconstructions, respectively, the means (and ranges) were 1.7 (1.1-3.5) and 1.4 (1.0-3.2) × 10(-3) mm(2) /s for ADC, 1.1 (0.84-1.4) and 0.84 (0.53-1.1) × 10(-3) mm(2) /s for D, and 17 and 18 (2.3-35)% for F. For both reconstruction methods, D decreased with steatosis and F decreased with fibrosis (P < 0.05). ADC was not independently associated with any histologic feature.

Conclusion: Steatosis and fibrosis have significant independent effects on D and F in adults undergoing biopsy for NAFLD.

Keywords: DWI; IVIM; NAFLD; NASH; diffusion; liver.

Publication types

Observational Study
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Biopsy
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
Female
Humans
Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods
Male
Middle Aged
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / pathology*
Prospective Studies

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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