Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI of the liver: correlation of relative hepatic enhancement, relative renal enhancement, and liver to kidneys enhancement ratio with serum hepatic enzyme levels and eGFR

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the correlation of relative hepatic enhancement (RHE), relative renal enhancement (RRE) and liver to kidneys enhancement ratio (LKR) with serum hepatic enzyme levels and eGFR in Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI of the liver and to assess threshold levels for predicting enhancement of the liver parenchyma.

Methods: Data of 75 patients who underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI of the liver were collected. Images were obtained before contrast injection, during the early arterial phase, late arterial phase, venous phase, delayed phase, and hepatobiliary phase which was 20 min after Gd-EOB-DTPA administration. Signal intensity of the liver and the kidneys in all phases was defined using region-of-interest measurements for relative enhancement calculation. Serum hepatic enzyme levels and eGFR were available in all patients. Spearman correlation test was used to test the correlation of RHE, RRE and LKR with serum hepatic enzyme levels and eGFR.

Results: In the hepatobiliary phase all serum hepatic enzymes were significantly correlated with RHE; total bilirubin (TBIL) and cholin esterase (CHE) showed strongest correlations. TBIL and CHE were significantly correlated with RRE in the arterial phases. TBIL and CHE were significantly correlated with LKR in the arterial phase and hepatobiliary phase. eGFR showed no correlation.

Conclusions: In Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI, TBIL and CHE levels may predict RHE, RRE and LKR.

Keywords: Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA); Magnetic resonance imaging; Serum hepatic enzymes.