Abstract #1658

Molecular MR Imaging of Liver Fibrosis with a Collagen-Targeting Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent

Miloslav Polasek¹, Daniel T. Schhle¹, Bryan C. Fuchs², Jamu K. Alford¹, Ronald J. H. Borra¹, Kenneth K. Tanabe², Peter Caravan¹

¹Radiology, A. A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States; ²Surgical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States

Liver fibrosis occurs in advanced stages of chronic liver diseases, and proper staging of fibrosis is essential for prognosis, surveillance, and treatment decisions. Fibrosis is characterized by excess deposition of type I collagen in the parenchyma. We used a mouse model of liver fibrosis and imaged fibrotic and control animals before and after administration of a type I collagen-targeted Gd-based contrast agent. Increased signal enhancement and slower liver washout rates were imaging biomarkers that significantly distinguished mice with moderate fibrosis (Ishak grade 3-4) from age matched controls (Ishak grade 0).