Multi-Parametric MRI for Evaluating Variations in Renal Structure, Function, and Endogenous Metabolites in an Animal Model With Acute Kidney Injury Induced by Ischemia Reperfusion

Quan Tao; Qianqian Zhang; Ziqi An; Zelong Chen; Yanqiu Feng

doi:10.1002/jmri.29094

Multi-Parametric MRI for Evaluating Variations in Renal Structure, Function, and Endogenous Metabolites in an Animal Model With Acute Kidney Injury Induced by Ischemia Reperfusion

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2023 Oct 26. doi: 10.1002/jmri.29094. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Quan Tao^{1

2

3}, Qianqian Zhang^{2

3

4}, Ziqi An^{2

3

4}, Zelong Chen⁵, Yanqiu Feng^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
² Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Image Processing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
³ Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Medical Imaging and Diagnostic Technology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
⁴ School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
⁵ Medical Imaging Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

PMID: 37881827
DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29094

Abstract

Background: Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) may occur after renal ischemic injury. There is a lack of an accurate and comprehensive detection technique for IRI-AKI.

Purpose: To longitudinally evaluate IRI-AKI in rats by renal structure, function, and metabolites using multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI).

Study type: Prospective.

Animal model: Forty-eight rats undergoing IRI-AKI.

Field strength/sequence: 7-T, T₁ mapping, and arterial spin labeling (ASL): echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence; blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD): gradient recalled echo (GRE) sequence; T₂ mapping, quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT), and chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST): rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) sequence.

Assessment: The mpMRI for IRI-AKI was conducted at 0 (control), 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days, all included eight rats. The longitudinal mpMRI signal of manually outlined cortex, outer stripe of the outer medulla (OSOM), inner stripe of the outer medulla, and medulla plus pelvis were calculated and compared, their diagnosis performance for IRI-AKI also been evaluated.

Statistical tests: Pearson correlations analysis for correlation between mpMRI signal and renal injury, unpaired t-tests for comparing the signal changes, and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to identify most sensitive indicator of mpMRI. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Compared with control kidneys, the T₁ and T₂ values of the cortex and medulla in IRI kidneys increased and reached their highest values on day 14, and the kidneys also showed the most severe edema and segments blurred. The RBF in the cortex and OSOM showed a significant decline after day 3. The BOLD signal in the OSOM largest increased on day 28. The cortical PSR and the amine-CEST both decreased with IRI-AKI progression, and amine-CEST achieved the highest AUC for the diagnosis (0.899).

Data conclusion: Multi-parametric MRI may show comprehensive variations in IRI-AKI, and amine-CEST may exhibit the highest accuracy for diagnosis of IRI-AKI.

Level of evidence: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Keywords: acute kidney injury; ischemia reperfusion injury; metabolites; multi-parametric MRI; renal function.

Abstract

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