Effect of disease progression on liver apparent diffusion coefficient and T2 values in a murine model of hepatic fibrosis at 11.7 Tesla MRI

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of hepatic fibrosis on ADC and T2 values of ex vivo murine liver specimens imaged using 11.7 Tesla (T) MRI. Materials and Methods: This animal study was IACUC approved. Seventeen male, C57BL/6 mice were divided into control (n = 2) and experimental groups (n = 15), the latter fed a 3, 5-dicarbethoxy-1, 4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) supplemented diet, inducing hepatic fibrosis. Ex vivo liver specimens were imaged using an 11.7T MRI scanner. Spin-echo pulsed field gradient and multi-echo spin-echo acquisitions were used to generate parametric ADC and T(2) maps, respectively. Degrees of fibrosis were determined by the evaluation of a pathologist as well as digital image analysis. Scatterplot graphs comparing ADC and T(2) to degrees of fibrosis were generated and correlation coefficients were calculated. Results: Strong correlation was found between degrees of hepatic fibrosis and ADC with higher degrees of fibrosis associated with lower hepatic ADC values. Moderate correlation between hepatic fibrosis and T(2) values was seen with higher degrees of fibrosis associated with lower T(2) values. Conclusion: Inverse relationships between degrees of fibrosis and both ADC and T(2) are seen, highlighting the utility of these parameters in the ongoing development of an MRI methodology to quantify hepatic fibrosis.