NEWS: Mayo Clinic MRI Development Delivers Liver Diagnosis Breakthrough

[Guest guest]

Mayo Clinic MRI Development Delivers Liver Diagnosis Breakthrough

11 Sep 2006

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new technique for using

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to accurately measure the hardness

or elasticity of the liver. First tests show this technology --

called MR Elastography (MRE) -- holds great promise for detecting

liver fibrosis, a common condition that can lead to incurable

cirrhosis if not treated in time. Traditionally, liver fibrosis is

usually diagnosed using needle biopsies, which can involve

complications and may be inaccurate due to sampling errors. The new

technology promises to provide an accurate, painless, and lower risk

alternative to liver biopsy and may have implications for diagnosing

cancer. These research findings appeared in the journal Radiology.

" This is potentially an important diagnostic advance, since

conventional imaging techniques, such as CT, MRI and ultrasound are

not capable of identifying liver fibrosis prior to the onset of

cirrhosis, " says Ehman, M.D., Mayo researcher and lead

investigator on the study.

" The Elastogram "

The healthy liver is very soft compared to most other tissues and

especially compared to a liver with cirrhosis, which is rock hard.

The development by Dr. Ehman and his colleagues applies vibrations to

the liver and then utilizes a modified form of MRI to obtain pictures

of the mechanical waves passing through the organ. The imaging can be

accomplished in as little as 20 seconds. The wave pictures are then

processed to generate a quantitative image of tissue stiffness --

called an elastogram.

Researchers compared results of the process on 12 patients with

biopsy-proven liver fibrosis with those of 12 healthy participants.

This pilot trial of MRE showed strikingly elevated stiffness in

patients with fibrosis and that the stiffness increased with the

progression of the condition.

Impact of the Research

The availability of a reliable, non-invasive method for detecting

liver fibrosis could lead to early diagnosis -- in patients

considered at risk for liver disease -- and increase their chances

for successful treatment. For example, 170 million people worldwide

are infected with chronic hepatitis C and a significant number will

develop cirrhosis, which is untreatable. Even if some risk factors

are identified, there is no way to predict which patients will

develop fibrosis, and successive liver biopsies in all these patients

aren't possible. Non-invasive monitoring with MRE of those at risk

would detect the problem early and help assess the effect of treatments.

###

Collaboration and Support

Others on the research team include Meng Yin; Olivier Rouviere, M.D.;

Jayant Talwalkar, M.D.; M. Dresner, Ph.D.; Rossman;

Lawrence Burgart, M.D.; and Jeff Fidler, M.D. The research was funded

in part by the National Institutes of Health.

Contact: Nellis

Mayo Clinic

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=51437