Evaluation of liver function reserve with gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MR

Objective: To determine the values of gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI for quantitatively evaluating the liver function reserve. Methods Forty consecutive liver cirrhosis patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. All the patients underwent complete routine laboratory tests and the gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MR imaging with the same parameters. Liver volume and the relative enhancement index of the whole liver in hepatocellular phase were used to calculate liver relative uptake value, which is supposed to represent the total liver function reserve. And the function reserve of all liver segments was evaluated respectively by the relative enhancement index of each liver segment. One-way ANOVA was used for statistical analyses. Results: The patient number in Child-Pugh A, B and C group was 23, 10 and 7, respectively. Significant differences was observed in liver relative uptake value among patients in different Child-Pugh classes (F = 122.05, P < 0.01). Mean liver relative uptake value was highest in Child-Pugh A group (1212 ± 168) followed by B group and C group (695 ± 161, 234 ± 55). In Child-Pugh A group, the relative enhancement index of S1 to S8 was 1.13 ± 0.22, 1.12 ± 0.50, 0.81 ± 0.24, 1.08 ± 0.32, 1.41 ±0.25, 1.10 ± 0.30, 1.16 ± 0.41 and 1.17 ± 0.23, respectively (F = 5.93, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in B and C group (F = 1.95, 1.83; P > 0.05). Conclusion: Gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI can be used for evaluating whole liver function reserve quantitatively. This technique also has a potential value for evaluating of the segmental liver function reserve before partial hepatectomy. (authors)