Value of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient for Quantification of Low-Grade Hepatic Encephalopathy

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Am J Gastroenterol. 2008 May 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Value of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient for Quantification of Low-Grade

Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Sugimoto R, Iwasa M, Maeda M, Urawa N, Tanaka H, Fujita N, Kobayashi Y, Takeda

K, Kaito M, Takei Y.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Division of Clinical Medicine and

Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Medical Science, Mie University Graduate

School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is associated with

poorer quality of life and increased work disability. Recently, low-grade

cerebral edema has been implicated in chronic liver disease. METHODS: We

measured the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in various regions of

the brains of patients with cirrhosis, and elucidated the significance of the

evaluation of ADC in quantifying low-grade HE and predicting overt HE and

survival. Forty patients with cirrhosis and 24 controls underwent

diffusion-weighted imaging, and patients were followed up every month. RESULTS:

The mean ADC values were increased in cirrhotic patients with minimal HE versus

no HE or controls. Minimal HE patients separated from no HE patients with a

sensitivity of 70 approximately 90% and a specificity of 85 approximately 90%.

ADC values correlated with individual neuropsychological tests. ADC values of

white matter, such as the frontal (log-rank test 4.35, P < 0.05) and parietal

(log-rank test 5.98, P < 0.05) white matter, was predictive of further bouts of

overt HE. CONCLUSIONS: ADC is a reliable tool for quantification of low-grade

HE, and could predict the development of overt HE.

PMID: 18510613 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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[Guest guest]

Am J Gastroenterol. 2008 May 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Value of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient for Quantification of Low-Grade

Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Sugimoto R, Iwasa M, Maeda M, Urawa N, Tanaka H, Fujita N, Kobayashi Y, Takeda

K, Kaito M, Takei Y.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Division of Clinical Medicine and

Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Medical Science, Mie University Graduate

School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is associated with

poorer quality of life and increased work disability. Recently, low-grade

cerebral edema has been implicated in chronic liver disease. METHODS: We

measured the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in various regions of

the brains of patients with cirrhosis, and elucidated the significance of the

evaluation of ADC in quantifying low-grade HE and predicting overt HE and

survival. Forty patients with cirrhosis and 24 controls underwent

diffusion-weighted imaging, and patients were followed up every month. RESULTS:

The mean ADC values were increased in cirrhotic patients with minimal HE versus

no HE or controls. Minimal HE patients separated from no HE patients with a

sensitivity of 70 approximately 90% and a specificity of 85 approximately 90%.

ADC values correlated with individual neuropsychological tests. ADC values of

white matter, such as the frontal (log-rank test 4.35, P < 0.05) and parietal

(log-rank test 5.98, P < 0.05) white matter, was predictive of further bouts of

overt HE. CONCLUSIONS: ADC is a reliable tool for quantification of low-grade

HE, and could predict the development of overt HE.

PMID: 18510613 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

_________________________________________________________________

Enjoy 5 GB of free, password-protected online storage.

http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skyd\

rive_062008

[Guest guest]

Am J Gastroenterol. 2008 May 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Value of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient for Quantification of Low-Grade

Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Sugimoto R, Iwasa M, Maeda M, Urawa N, Tanaka H, Fujita N, Kobayashi Y, Takeda

K, Kaito M, Takei Y.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Division of Clinical Medicine and

Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Medical Science, Mie University Graduate

School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is associated with

poorer quality of life and increased work disability. Recently, low-grade

cerebral edema has been implicated in chronic liver disease. METHODS: We

measured the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in various regions of

the brains of patients with cirrhosis, and elucidated the significance of the

evaluation of ADC in quantifying low-grade HE and predicting overt HE and

survival. Forty patients with cirrhosis and 24 controls underwent

diffusion-weighted imaging, and patients were followed up every month. RESULTS:

The mean ADC values were increased in cirrhotic patients with minimal HE versus

no HE or controls. Minimal HE patients separated from no HE patients with a

sensitivity of 70 approximately 90% and a specificity of 85 approximately 90%.

ADC values correlated with individual neuropsychological tests. ADC values of

white matter, such as the frontal (log-rank test 4.35, P < 0.05) and parietal

(log-rank test 5.98, P < 0.05) white matter, was predictive of further bouts of

overt HE. CONCLUSIONS: ADC is a reliable tool for quantification of low-grade

HE, and could predict the development of overt HE.

PMID: 18510613 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

_________________________________________________________________

Enjoy 5 GB of free, password-protected online storage.

http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skyd\

rive_062008

[Guest guest]

Am J Gastroenterol. 2008 May 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Value of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient for Quantification of Low-Grade

Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Sugimoto R, Iwasa M, Maeda M, Urawa N, Tanaka H, Fujita N, Kobayashi Y, Takeda

K, Kaito M, Takei Y.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Division of Clinical Medicine and

Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Medical Science, Mie University Graduate

School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is associated with

poorer quality of life and increased work disability. Recently, low-grade

cerebral edema has been implicated in chronic liver disease. METHODS: We

measured the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in various regions of

the brains of patients with cirrhosis, and elucidated the significance of the

evaluation of ADC in quantifying low-grade HE and predicting overt HE and

survival. Forty patients with cirrhosis and 24 controls underwent

diffusion-weighted imaging, and patients were followed up every month. RESULTS:

The mean ADC values were increased in cirrhotic patients with minimal HE versus

no HE or controls. Minimal HE patients separated from no HE patients with a

sensitivity of 70 approximately 90% and a specificity of 85 approximately 90%.

ADC values correlated with individual neuropsychological tests. ADC values of

white matter, such as the frontal (log-rank test 4.35, P < 0.05) and parietal

(log-rank test 5.98, P < 0.05) white matter, was predictive of further bouts of

overt HE. CONCLUSIONS: ADC is a reliable tool for quantification of low-grade

HE, and could predict the development of overt HE.

PMID: 18510613 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

_________________________________________________________________

Enjoy 5 GB of free, password-protected online storage.

http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skyd\

rive_062008