Vasily L. Yarnykh1,
George N. Ioannou2
1Department of
Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; 2Department
of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
Cross-relaxation imaging (CRI) method has been adapted for fast 3D parametric mapping of the macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) in the human liver. The entire protocol requires four breath-hold intervals and provides four magnetization transfer images, variable flip angle T1 mapping, and sequences for correction of B0 and B1 inhomogeneities. Preliminary data were obtained from 6 patients with chronic HCV infection and histologically confirmed presence (stages F1, F3, and F4) or absence (stage F0) of hepatic fibrosis. Analysis of MPF histograms of the liver parenchyma indicated that MPF increases in liver fibrosis, and this increase is associated with the fibrosis stage.