Abstract
PurposeTo determine whether intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) parameters correlate with liver regeneration and function recovery after partial hepatectomy (PH) in rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis.MethodsSixty-two adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the control group and the fibrosis group with CCl4 injection for 8 weeks. At the end of the 8th week, all rats received left lateral lobe liver resection. Within each group, IVIM imaging (n = 10/group) and histologic and biochemical analyses (n = 3/group/time point) were performed pre- and post-PH (on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 21). Differences in liver IVIM parameters and correlation between IVIM parameters and Ki-67 indices, hepatocyte diameter, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin (TBil) values were analyzed.ResultsPost-PH, liver true diffusion coefficient (D) values decreased and pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*) and perfusion fraction (PF) values increased, then recovered to pre-PH levels gradually in both fibrosis and control rats. PF in fibrosis group were significantly higher than in controls from 3 to 21 days (P < 0.05). In fibrosis rats, both Ki-67 indices and hepatocyte diameters increased, and a strong correlation was found between PF and Ki-67 indices (r = −0.756; P = 0.03), D* and PF values and ALT, AST, and TBil values (r = −0.762 to −0.905; P < 0.05). In control rats, only hepatocyte diameters increased, and all IVIM parameters correlated well with hepatocyte diameters, ALT, AST and TBil values (r = 0.810 to −1.000; P < 0.05).ConclusionThe regeneration pattern in fibrotic liver tissue was different compared with control livers. IVIM parameters can monitor liver regeneration and functional recovery non-invasively after PH.
Highlights
Liver regeneration (LR) is critical for the recovery of liver function after partial hepatectomy (PH)
perfusion fraction (PF) in fibrosis group were significantly higher than in controls from 3 to 21 days (P < 0.05). Both Ki-67 indices and hepatocyte diameters increased, and a strong correlation was found between PF and Ki-67 indices (r = −0.756; P = 0.03), D∗ and PF values and alanine transaminase (ALT), AST, and total bilirubin (TBil) values (r = −0.762 to −0.905; P < 0.05)
Pre-PH, liver D, and D∗ values in the fibrosis group were significantly lower compared with the control group (D: −0.18; 95% CI, −0.3 to −0.1; P < 0.001; D∗: −50.73; 95% CI, −75.5 to −25.9; P = 0.001)
Summary
Liver regeneration (LR) is critical for the recovery of liver function after partial hepatectomy (PH). Hemodynamic regulation plays an important role in the initiation of LR (Yagi et al, 2020; Michalopoulos and Bhushan, 2021) Both hypertrophy and hepatocyte cell division contribute to LR (Miyaoka et al, 2012), which could affect the diffusion of water molecules. Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging provides perfusion and diffusion measurements of the liver (Le Bihan, 2008, 2019), which correspond to possible changes during LR. These measurements make IVIM imaging a possible alternative to liver biopsy for the assessment of liver fibrosis and inflammation (Tosun et al, 2020; Lefebvre et al, 2021), allowing the simultaneous evaluation of chronic liver disease severity and LR after PH
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
