Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in the study of warm ischemia reperfusion injury to the regeneration of hepatic cells of the livers following their orthotopic transplantation in rats.
Methods: A rat orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) model with warm ischemia, the experimental group, was established and the same was done with a control group but without warm ischemia of the livers. They were studied at 6 time points (6 hours, 1, 3, 7, 14, and 30 days after OLT). All rats took axial T1 weighted and T2 weighted imaging scans and 1H MR spectroscopies.
Results: The positive rate of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and the mean peak choline/water ratio in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group and the peak choline /water ratio had a positive correlation with the positive rate of PCNA. Serum ALT and AST increased significantly after OLT, especially during the 6 hour to 3day period. The levels of ALT and AST were markedly higher in the experimental group compared to the control group.
Conclusion: Warm ischemia reperfusion injury of OLT has a significant effect on the regeneration of hepatic cells, and the choline peak of 1H-MRS can be used to evaluate the regeneration of hepatic cells non-invasively.