Diagnostic value of gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced hepatocyte-phase magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating hepatic fibrosis and hepatitis

AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic value of gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA)-enhanced hepatocyte-phase magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating hepatic fibrosis and hepatitis. METHODS: Hepatocyte-phase images of Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI were retrospectively evaluated in 76 patients with chronic liver disease. These patients were classified into five groups according to either the histopathological fibrosis stage (S0-S4) or the histopathological hepatitis grade (G0-G4). The relative enhancement ratio (RE) of the liver parenchyma in the T1-vibe sequence was calculated by measuring the signal intensity before (SI pre) and 90 min after (SI post) intravenous injection of Gd-BOPTA using the following formula: RE = (SI post - SI pre)/SI pre. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the difference between the relative RE in the hepatocyte phase (REh) and the stage of hepatic fibrosis and the grade of hepatitis. Pearson’s product-moment correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the REh and the levels of serologic liver functional parameters. RESULTS: According to histopathological hepatic fibrosis stage, the 76 patients were classified into five groups: 16 in S0, 15 in S1, 21 in S2, 9 in S3, and 15 in S4 group. According to histopathological hepatitis grade, the 76 patients were also classified into five groups: 0 in G0, 44 in G1, 22 in G2, 8 in G3, and 2 in G3 group. With regard to the stage of hepatic fibrosis, REh showed significant differences between the S2 and S3 groups and between the S2 and S4 groups (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the other groups. With regard to the grade of hepatitis, REh showed significant differences between the G1 and G2 groups and between the G1 and G4 groups (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the other groups. Increased REh showed correlations with decreased serum levels of TB, ALT and AST (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: To some extent, measuring the REh using Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI might be a noninvasive technique for assessing the stage of hepatic fibrosis. This method is able to differentiate no/mild hepatitis from advanced hepatitis. TB, ALT and AST levels can predict the degree of liver enhancement in the hepatocyte phase of Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI.