Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Evaluation of Periventricular Leukomalacia

Background

Improvements in perinatal care have resulted in increased survival of infants born prematurely, however neurological damage due to ischaemic infarction of the periventricular white matter is a problem of enormous medical, social and economic importance. Such vascular insult leads to destruction of the periventricular white matter, termed periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). This abnormality is the leading cause of significant morbidity in the survivors of premature birth. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is perhaps the only imaging modality, which can accurately detect and quantify periventricular leukomalacia. Methods: Magnetic Resonance Imaging was carried out in 45 children in the age group of 4 weeks to 8 years, with history of premature birth and perinatal hypoxia. These children had neurological deficits ranging from cortical blindness, spastic diplegia, spastic quadriplegia to severe mental retardation. The procedure was carried out on a 1.5 Tesla (Siemens Magnetom Avanto) MR system using available protocols for imaging the paediatric brain.

Result

The study revealed that MR imaging could accurately identify areas of ischaemic infarction of the periventricular white matter both in the early as well as in the late stages. The pattern of abnormalities detected on MRI of the brain in these patients can be considered specific for PVL in the clinical background of premature birth and perinatal hypoxia.

Conclusion

MRI is the ideal imaging modality to detect, quantify and accurately map the areas of brain affected by this hypoxic-ischaemic process. It is presently the gold standard for evaluating the neuroparenchyma in those with perinatal hypoxia. Advanced MR techniques like Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI), Proton MR Spectroscopy and DTI have shown great promise in our understanding of the pathophysiology and anatomic considerations of this disease process.Key Words: Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, Magnetic resonance imaging, Periventricular leukomalacia     

Sensitivity and specificity of CT scan in revealing skull fracture in medico-legal head injury victims

Background

Emergency departments rely on CT scans to manage trauma victims, especially for head injuries. Although the detection of an undisplaced fracture on a CT scan of the head without significant intracranial findings may be insignificant for a clinician, such cases are of paramount importance for medico-legal purposes because they help ascertain the nature, manner, and cause of the head injury.

Aims

The study was conducted with the objective of knowing the sensitivity and specificity of ante-mortem CT scan findings indicating the presence or absence of skull fractures.

Methods

Findings were confirmed during post-mortem examination of the subjects who had died during management but who had not had any surgical intervention. A comparative study of ante-mortem CT scan and autopsy findings with respect to fracture in traumatic head injuries was undertaken on 60 deceased individuals brought in for medico-legal post-mortem examination over a period of two years.

Results

Considering the autopsy findings as the gold standard, we have concluded that 14.6 per cent of the fractures were missed on CT scan findings compared to fractures found during autopsy. The sensitivity of CT scan for skull fractures was found to be 85.4 per cent and specificity was 100 per cent. Kappa was 0.787, which shows good agreement with p<0.001, which was highly significant.

Conclusion

In developing countries, images are interpreted in the axial plane only on a CT scan of the head, which may be due to a lack of financial and human resources. For better delineation of fractures, the use of techniques like multi-detector CT with sagittal and coronal reformations should be considered in the routine interpretation of a CT scan of the head.     

Comparative analysis of changes in MR imaging of pre and post intrauterine progesterone implants in adenomyosis cases

Background

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) plays an important role in the evaluation and management of adenomyosis. In this study, we first diagnosed the adenomyosis on MRI and then we analyzed the MRI changes in the uterus in pre and post intrauterine progesterone implants cases.

Method

All the patients with clinical diagnosis of menorrhagia or dysmenorrhea were screened by Ultrasonography (USG) of the pelvis. Patients with heterogeneous echo texture of the uterus were then evaluated by the MRI of the pelvis. All patients with MRI findings suggestive of adenomyosis formed the study group.

Result

On MRI study 60 patients were diagnosed as adenomyosis, 68.33% had diffuse adenomyosis and 31.66% had focal adenomyosis. 83% of diagnosed adenomyosis cases had high intensity signal foci which were seen in 75% cases of diffuse adenomyosis and 100% cases of focal adenomyosis. 50 diagnosed adenomyosis cases were then reviewed after 03 months, 06 months and 12 months to see for any change in the MRI findings in the post intrauterine implant cases. On follow up MRI after post progesterone intrauterine implant, 50% of the cases showed reduction in the high intensity signals, 10% of the cases showed mild reduction in the junctional zone thickness with no significant change in the uterine size.

Conclusions

It is inferred that MR imaging is not only helpful in diagnosing but also helpful in monitoring the effects of hormonal therapy in adenomyosis.     

Role of Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Parameters in the Evaluation of Treatment Response in Malignant Tumors

Objective:

To elaborate the role of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters in the evaluation of treatment response in malignant tumors.

Data Sources:

Data cited in this review were obtained mainly from PubMed in English from 1999 to 2014, with keywords “dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI,” “diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI),” “microcirculation,” “apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC),” “treatment response” and “oncology.”

Study Selection:

Articles regarding principles of DCE-MRI, principles of DWI, clinical applications as well as opportunity and aspiration were identified, retrieved and reviewed.

Results:

A significant correlation between ADC values and treatment response was reported in most DWI studies. Most quantitative DCE-MRI studies showed a significant correlation between K^trans values and treatment response. However, in different tumors and studies, both high and low pretreatment ADC or K^trans values were found to be associated with response rate. Both DCE-MRI and DWI demonstrated changes in their parameters hours to days after treatment, showing a decrease in K^trans or an increase in ADC associated with response in most cases.

Conclusions:

Combinations of quantitative MRI play an important role in the evaluation of treatment response of malignant tumors and hold promise for use as a cancer treatment response biomarker. However, validation is hampered by the lack of reproducibility and standardization. MRI acquisition protocols and quantitative image analysis approaches should be properly addressed prior to further testing the clinical use of quantitative MRI parameters in the assessment of treatments.     

Assessment of the usefulness of magnetic resonance brain imaging in patients presenting with acute seizures

Background

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is increasingly available as a tool for assessment of patients presenting to acute services with seizures.

Aims

We set out to prospectively determine the usefulness of early MRI brain in a cohort of patients presenting with acute seizures.

Methods

We examined the MR imaging studies performed in patients admitted solely because of acute seizures to Cork University Hospital over a 12-month period. The main aim of the study was to determine if the MRI established the proximate cause for the patient’s recent seizure. We identified 91 patients who underwent MRI brain within 48 h of admission for seizures.

Results

Of the 91 studies, 51 were normal (56 %). The remaining 40 studies were abnormal as follows: microvascular disease (usually moderate/severe) (n = 19), post-traumatic gliosis (n = 7), remote symptomatic lesion (n = 6), primary brain tumour (n = 5), venous sinus thrombosis (n = 3), developmental lesion (n = 3), post-surgical gliosis (n = 3) and single cases of demyelination, unilateral hippocampal sclerosis, lobar haemorrhage and metastatic malignant melanoma. Abnormalities in diffusion-weighted sequences that were attributable to prolonged ictal activity were seen in nine patients, all of who had significant ongoing clinical deficits, most commonly delirium. Of the 40 patients with abnormal MRI studies, seven patients had unremarkable CT brain. MR brain imaging revealed the underlying cause for acute seizures in 44 % of patients. CT brain imaging failed to detect the cause of the acute seizures in 19 % of patients in whom subsequent MRI established the cause.

Conclusion

This study emphasises the importance of obtaining optimal imaging in people admitted with acute seizures.     

Comparison of guideline recommendations with daily practice in patients with renal cell carcinoma

Objectives and Aims

To compare guideline recommendations with daily practice patterns in a German patient cohort with renal cell carcinoma.

Patients and methods

81 patients with T1 oder T2 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were included in this prospective single-center study. All patients were operated in a single institution either by open radical nephrectomy (ORN) or nephron sparing surgery (NSS). Patients and doctors were evaluated using a written questionnaire with a follow-up of 12 months. Follow-up intervals, follow-up modalities (e. g. imaging modalities, laboratory controls of blood and urine) and the call on psycho-oncological support were evaluated.

Results

The majority of patients (72%) were followed up by their urologists. Follow-up examinations included abdominal ultrasound, urine and blood diagnostics, conventional chest x-rays, computed tomography (CT) of abdomen, chest or head or abdominal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). There were no significant differences between patients operated by ORN or NSS. In total, 12.5% of patients were asking for psycho-oncological support.

Conclusions

In general, patients were followed up according to existing guideline recommendations. Only a small proportion of patients asked for psycho-oncological treatment.     

Changes in the Vision-related Resting-state Network in Pituitary Adenoma Patients After Vision Improvement

Background:

The aim of this research was to investigate the changes in the vision-related resting-state network (V-RSN) in pituitary adenoma (PA) patients after vision improvement, which was induced by operative treatment.

Methods:

Ten PA patients with an improved visual acuity or/and visual field after transsphenoidal pituitary tumor resection were recruited and underwent a complete neuro-ophthalmologic evaluation, as well as an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol, including structural and resting-state functional MRI sequences before and after the operation. The regional homogeneity (ReHo) of the V-RSN was evaluated. Two sample t-test was performed to identify the significant differences in the V-RSN in the PA patients before and after transsphenoidal pituitary tumor resection.

Results:

Compared with the preoperation counterparts, the PA patients with improved vision after the operation exhibited reduced ReHo in the bilateral thalamus, globus pallidus, caudate nucleus, putamen nucleus, supplementary motor area, and left hippocampal formation, and increased ReHo in the bilateral cuneus gyrus, calcarine gyrus, right lingual gyrus, and fusiform gyrus.

Conclusions:

PA patients with improved vision exhibit increased neural activity within the visual cortex, but decreased neural activity in subareas of the multisensory and multimodal systems beyond the vision cortex.     

Nonspecific Effect of Stress on Brain Gray Matter Volume in Drug-naive Female Patients with First Depressive Episode

Background:

This study aimed to observe the differences in brain gray matter volume in drug-naive female patients after the first episode of major depression with and without stressful life events (SLEs) before the onset of depression.

Methods:

Forty-three drug-naive female patients voluntarily participated in the present study after the first major depressive episode. The life event scale was used to evaluate the severity of the impact of SLEs during 6 months before the onset of the major depressive episode. High-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained, and the VBM and SPM8 software process were used to process and analyze the MRI.

Results:

Compared to that in patients without SLEs, the volume of brain gray matter was lower in the bilateral temporal lobe, right occipital lobe, and right limbic lobe in the SLE group. However, the gray matter volume did not differ significantly between the two groups after the application of false discovery rate (FDR) correction.

Conclusions:

Although the results of the present study suggest the absence of significant differences in brain gray matter volume between female drug-naive patients after the first episode of major depression with and without SLEs after FDR correction, the study provides useful information for exploring the definitive role of stress in the onset of depression.     

Clinical and radiographic evaluation of biodegradable bone plates in the treatment of mandibular body fractures

Background:

Many different systems are available for the treatment of fractures ranging from the heavy compression plates for mandibular reconstruction to low profile plates for mid-facial fixation, and are made either from stainless steel, titanium or vitallium. Recently, biodegradable, self-reinforced polylactide plates and screws have been used for the internal fixation of fractures of the mandible with good results.

Aim of this study:

This study evaluated clinically the biodegradable bone plates for treatment of mandibular body fracture and to evaluate bone healing during the follow-up period using digital radiography.

Materials and Methods:

Eight patients had been suffered from mandibular body fractures were treated using Inion CPS^TM bioresorbable fixation system and the healing process were followed up using digitised panoramic radiography at first week and after 1, 3 and 6 months.

Results:

Clinical examination of fractured segments revealed stable fixation across the fracture sites while visual and quantitative assessment of radiograph showed healing process was comparable with results previously reported by titanium bone plates.

Conclusion:

Open reduction and internal fixation of mandibular fractures using bioresorbable fixation system with a brief period of inter-maxillary fixation have evolved to the point where the physical properties are sufficient to withstand the post-operative loads required for fracture repair of mandibular body fractures. The foreign body reaction is a major material-related problem which requires further studies.     

Retrospective Analysis of Thyroid Cancer Patients

Background

Thyroid cancer is a spectrum of neoplasms and manifests in varied forms. The issues related to presentation, management and outcome of patients with thyroid malignancy are highlighted.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 70 patients and survival analysis for event free survival was done.

Result

Papillary carcinomas constituted 88 percent followed by follicular cancers at nine percent of all cancers. Females were affected more than males in the ratio of 2.2: 1. Mean age of presentation for papillary cancer was 39 years and for follicular 50 years. Sixteen percent patients had regional and 10 percent distant metastases. Seventeen percent showed raised serum thyroglobulin and 29 percent had an abnormal whole body scan during the follow up. Relapse rate were similar in those receiving 30 mCi of radioiodine and in those receiving more than 30 mCi.

Conclusion

The study shows that tumour marker thyroglobulin has higher negative predictive value. Overall prognosis for differentiated thyroid cancers is good.Key Words: Thyroid cancer, Radioiodine therapy, Whole body scan     

Liver specific magnetic resonance imaging contrast medium for evaluation of focal liver lesions – Initial experience at a service hospital

Background

Contrast enhanced MRI is today considered the investigation modality of choice in detection and characterization of focal liver lesions. The conventional MRI contrast media like Gadolinium (Gd) chelates undergo elimination through the urinary pathway and are not selectively concentrated or metabolized in the liver. Gadobenate dimeglumine (Chemical name: Gadolinium-BOPTA) is a promising newer liver specific MRI contrast medium having additional properties of selective uptake and biliary excretion by hepatocytes. Our study was designed as a pilot study to evaluate the utility of Gd-BOPTA in detection and characterization of focal liver lesions.

Methods

Fifty-three consecutive patients with focal liver lesions (excluding only simple hepatic cysts) detected on ultrasonography and CT abdomen, were prospectively subjected to standardized MRI protocol for the liver, using Gd-BOPTA as the intravenous contrast medium. An additional T1W axial scan of the liver was incorporated in the study protocol, at a delay of 2 h post-contrast, in all patients.

Results

In the study population, the combination of USG and contrast enhanced CT abdomen findings were adequate to reach a definitive diagnosis in 70% of the patients. The liver specificity of Gd-BOPTA contributed to improved lesional characterization in 9/50 patients (18%) on the delayed phase images.

Conclusion

The study revealed that the liver specific properties of Gd-BOPTA can be used to obtain additional information to improve characterization of focal hepatic lesions, when delayed phase scans are included in the study protocol.     

Semi-quantitative Assessment of Brain Maturation by Conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Neonates with Clinically Mild Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy

Background:

Mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) injury is becoming the major type in neonatal brain diseases. The aim of this study was to assess brain maturation in mild HIE neonatal brains using total maturation score (TMS) based on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods:

Totally, 45 neonates with clinically mild HIE and 45 matched control neonates were enrolled. Gestated age, birth weight, age after birth and postmenstrual age at magnetic resonance (MR) scan were homogenous in the two groups. According to MR findings, mild HIE neonates were divided into three subgroups: Pattern I, neonates with normal MR appearance; Pattern II, preterm neonates with abnormal MR appearance; Pattern III, full-term neonates with abnormal MR appearance. TMS and its parameters, progressive myelination (M), cortical infolding (C), involution of germinal matrix tissue (G), and glial cell migration bands (B), were employed to assess brain maturation and compare difference between HIE and control groups.

Results:

The mean of TMS was significantly lower in mild HIE group than it in the control group (mean ± standard deviation [SD] 11.62 ± 1.53 vs. 12.36 ± 1.26, P < 0.001). In four parameters of TMS scores, the M and C scores were significantly lower in mild HIE group. Of the three patterns of mild HIE, Pattern I (10 cases) showed no significant difference of TMS compared with control neonates, while Pattern II (22 cases), III (13 cases) all had significantly decreased TMS than control neonates (mean ± SD 10.56 ± 0.93 vs. 11.48 ± 0.55, P < 0.05; 12.59 ± 1.28 vs. 13.25 ± 1.29, P < 0.05). It was M, C, and GM scores that significantly decreased in Pattern II, while for Pattern III, only C score significantly decreased.

Conclusions:

The TMS system, based on conventional MRI, is an effective method to detect delayed brain maturation in clinically mild HIE. The conventional MRI can reveal the different retardations in subtle structures and development processes among the different patterns of mild HIE.     

Application of Computed Tomography Virtual Noncontrast Spectral Imaging in Evaluation of Hepatic Metastases: A Preliminary Study

Objective:

The objective was to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate hepatic metastases using computed tomography (CT) virtual noncontrast (VNC) spectral imaging in a retrospective analysis.

Methods:

Forty hepatic metastases patients underwent CT scans including the conventional true noncontrast (TNC) and the tri-phasic contrast-enhanced dual energy spectral scans in the hepatic arterial, portal venous, and equilibrium phases. The tri-phasic spectral CT images were used to obtain three groups of VNC images including in the arterial (VNCa), venous (VNCv), and equilibrium (VNCe) phase by the material decomposition process using water and iodine as a base material pair. The image quality and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of metastasis of the four groups were compared with ANOVA analysis. The metastasis detection rates with the four nonenhanced image groups were calculated and compared using the Chi-square test.

Results:

There were no significant differences in image quality among TNC, VNCa and VNCv images (P > 0.05). The quality of VNCe images was significantly worse than that of other three groups (P < 0.05). The mean CNR of metastasis in the TNC and VNCs images was 1.86, 2.42, 1.92, and 1.94, respectively; the mean CNR of metastasis in VNCa images was significantly higher than that in other three groups (P < 0.05), while no statistically significant difference was observed among VNCv, VNCe and TNC images (P > 0.05). The metastasis detection rate of the four nonenhanced groups with no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05).

Conclusions:

The quality of VNCa and VNCv images is identical to that of TNC images, and the metastasis detection rate in VNC images is similar to that in TNC images. VNC images obtained from arterial phase show metastases more clearly. Thus, VNCa imaging may be a surrogate to TNC imaging in hepatic metastasis diagnosis.     

Amide Proton Transfer Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Alzheimer's Disease at 3.0 Tesla: A Preliminary Study

Background:

Amide proton transfer (APT) imaging has recently emerged as an important contrast mechanism for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the field of molecular and cellular imaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of APT imaging to detect cerebral abnormality in patients with Alzheimer''s disease (AD) at 3.0 Tesla.

Methods:

Twenty AD patients (9 men and 11 women; age range, 67–83 years) and 20 age-matched normal controls (11 men and 9 women; age range, 63–82 years) underwent APT and traditional MRI examination on a 3.0 Tesla MRI system. The magnetic resonance ratio asymmetry (MTR_asym) values at 3.5 ppm of bilateral hippocampi (Hc), temporal white matter regions, occipital white matter regions, and cerebral peduncles were measured on oblique axial APT images. MTR_asym (3.5 ppm) values of the cerebral structures between AD patients and control subjects were compared with independent samples t-test. Controlling for age, partial correlation analysis was used to investigate the associations between mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the various MRI measures among AD patients.

Results:

Compared with normal controls, MTR_asym (3.5 ppm) values of bilateral Hc were significantly increased in AD patients (right 1.24% ± 0.21% vs. 0.83% ± 0.19%, left 1.18% ± 0.18% vs. 0.80%± 0.17%, t = 3.039, 3.328, P = 0.004, 0.002, respectively). MTR_asym (3.5 ppm) values of bilateral Hc were significantly negatively correlated with MMSE (right r = −0.559, P = 0.013; left r = −0.461, P = 0.047).

Conclusions:

Increased MTR_asym (3.5 ppm) values of bilateral Hc in AD patients and its strong correlations with MMSE suggest that APT imaging could potentially provide imaging biomarkers for the noninvasive molecular diagnosis of AD.     

磁共振前列腺成像套餐对前列腺癌诊断的价值研究

目的观察磁共振前列腺成像套餐对前列腺癌诊断的应用价值,结合前列腺特异抗原(PSA)化验,比较磁共振成像与螺旋CT动态增强对前列腺癌诊断的准确性。方法收集我院病理确诊前列腺疾病患者20例,均行磁共振前列腺成像套餐及64排螺旋CT动态增强扫描。结果术后病理确诊前列腺癌16例,前列腺结节状增生4例。磁共振诊断前列腺癌18例,前列腺结节状增生2例;螺旋CT扫描动态增强均见前列腺明显肿大,其中强化不均仅7例,突破前列腺包膜3例,盆腔淋巴结肿大及骨转移各4例。结论相较CT动态增强扫描,磁共振成像对前列腺癌敏感性较高,但可能出现假阳性,DWI序列与波谱成像诊断价值更高。     

Bone mineral density among elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients in India

Background:

Osteoporosis is one of the major extra-pulmonary manifestations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which limits the physical activity. The present study was undertaken to study the bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis in the elderly COPD patients.

Materials and Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study carried out among elderly COPD patients. After a detailed clinical history spirometry was done to stage the severity of COPD. DEXA scan of the lumbar spine was performed using bone densitometer to determine osteoporosis. Statistical analysis was based on Chi-square test. Risk factors were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results:

A total of 70 elderly COPD patients were included. Fourty-six patients (65.7%) had osteoporosis and 13 (18.6%) had osteopenia. Majority of the osteoporosis patients had stage III or stage IV COPD disease (77.2%). As the severity grade of COPD increased, the risk of osteoporosis also increased. Also, with the increasing severity of COPD, BMD decreased. Patients with lower body mass index (BMI) had higher prevalence of osteoporosis (45.7%). Using multivariate regression analysis, stage IV COPD, number of acute exacerbations >3 and steroid cumulative dose >1000 mg were independent risk factors for osteoporosis in elderly COPD patients.

Conclusions:

The prevalence of osteoporosis was 65.7%, and 18.6% had osteopenia. Stage III and IV patients had significantly lower BMI in elderly COPD patients. High clinical suspicion and early diagnosis and treatment are required in the evaluation of osteoporosis in elderly COPD patients.     

A prospective study of epidemiological risk factors for ingestion of fish bones in Singapore

INTRODUCTION

Ingestion of fish bones is a common clinical complaint among adult patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological and behavioural risk factors for fish bone ingestion.

METHODS

Between 2009 and 2010, a physician-administered questionnaire was administered to 112 consecutive patients who presented to the emergency department of an adult tertiary hospital with the complaint of fish bone ingestion.

RESULTS

The wearing of dentures, the use of utensils to eat fish and the practice of deboning fish in one’s mouth were found to be associated with an increased risk of fish bone ingestion.

CONCLUSION

To prevent the occurrence of fish bone ingestion and its possible complications, at-risk populations should be advised on the precautions to take when eating boned fish.     

Preliminary Study of Brain Glucose Metabolism Changes in Patients with Lung Cancer of Different Histological Types

Background:Cerebral glucose metabolism changes are always observed in patients suffering from malignant tumors.This preliminary study aimed to investigate the brain glucose metabolism changes in patien...     

Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Elastography and Diffusion-weighted Imaging for Staging Hepatic Fibrosis

Background:

To compare the diagnostic values of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in staging hepatic fibrosis (HF) in an animal model.

Methods:

This study consisted of 44 rabbits served as HF group and 9 normal rabbits. HF group was divided into two subgroups: Group A (n = 32) and Group B (n = 12). Rabbits in Group B were served as a complementary group when rabbits in Group A suddenly died during the study. Rabbits from control and Group A underwent abdominal MR imaging (MRI), MRE, and DWI. In Group A, random eight rabbits underwent MRI examinations at 4, 5, 6, 10 weeks after carbon tetrachloride oil subcutaneous injection. Liver stiffness (LS) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of liver parenchyma were measured. The diagnostic performance of MRE and DWI for staging HF was compared using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis on the basis of the histopathological analysis of HF.

Results:

Significant differences of LS and DWI values were present among HF stages (P < 0.005). The LS values measured on MRE (r = 0.838, P < 0.001) were more strongly correlated with the HF stages than with ADC values (r = −0.527, P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of LS were significantly larger than those of DWI were for discriminating two stages of HF (0.979 vs. 0.712 for ≥ S1, 0.922 vs. 0.699 for ≥ S2). MRE showed higher specificity for predicting all stages of HF compared to DWI.

Conclusions:

MRE more strongly correlated with the HF stages than DWI and is more specific in predicting all HF stages.