Evaluation of liver fibrosis and hepatic venous pressure gradient with MR elastography in a novel swine model of cirrhosis. Issue 3 (7th November 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Steven Y.; Abdelsalam, Mohamed E.; Harmoush, Samer; Ensor, Joe E.; Chetta, Justin A.; Hwang, Ken-Pin; Stafford, R. Jason; Madoff, David C.; Avritscher, Rony
• Is Part Of: Journal of magnetic resonance imaging. Volume 39:Issue 3(2014)
• Page Start: 590
• Page End: 597
• Publication Date: 2013-11-07
• Subjects: MR elastography -- liver stiffness -- HVPG; Magnetic resonance imaging -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.24189
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1053-1807

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: To assess the correlation among MR elastography (MRE) measured liver stiffness (LS), liver fibrosis, and hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) in a swine model of cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: Three swine served as controls, and liver fibrosis was induced in eight swine by transarterial embolization. LS and HVPG were obtained at baseline and 4 weeks (prenecropsy) following induction of liver fibrosis. Results: Four weeks following the induction of liver cirrhosis, experimental animals developed an increase in HVPG of 8.0 ± 6.4 mmHg compared with 0.3 ± 1.2 mmHg for controls ( P = 0.08). Over the same timeframe, mean MRE‐measured LS increased 0.82 ± 0.39 kPa for experimental swine and 0.1 ± 0.05 kPa for controls ( P = 0.01). A positive correlation was observed between increases in HVPG and LS (ρ = 0.682; P = 0.02). Liver fibrosis was measured on explanted livers at 4 weeks and yielded mean fibrosis scores of 2.8 for experimental animals and 0 for controls ( P = 0.0016). A positive correlation was observed between higher LS and liver fibrosis (ρ = 0.884; P = 0.0003). Conclusion: MRE is a reliable noninvasive technique to measure LS in a swine model of cirrhosis. Significant positive correlations were observed between LS and HVPG as well as LS and fibrosis.J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;39:590–597 . ©2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.