Assessment of liver fibrosis in different degree: preliminary study on multi-slice CT perfusion imaging

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the role of multi-slice CT (MSCT) perfusion in early diagnosis of liver fibrosis. Methods Thirty-three subjects underwent CT perfusion of the liver. Among whom, 11 subjects were volunteers without hepatic disease and the other 22 subjects were pathologically confirmed with liver fibrosis who were further divided into slight (n= 10) and severe (n=12)liver fibrosis according to the lshak system. Parameters of CT perfusion were measured and compared among three groups. Results The mean hepatic arterial fraction in controls, light and severe fibrosis tended to increase with the severity of liver fibrosis[(18. 49 ± 9. 69) %, (19. 92 ± 6.01) % and (21.31±7.47)% ,respectively], and the mean mean transit time tended to decrease with the severity of liver fibrosis [(13.80 ± 2. 60) s, (12.35 ± 1.31) s and (12.19 ± 3.33) s, there was no significant difference in all parameters between any two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions Quantitative measurement of hepatic blood supply can be obtained by CT perfusion. Some parameters will be helpful in staging fibrosis to a certain extent. But its clinical usefulness for the evaluation of the early diagnosis may not be affirmed yet. Key words: Liver cirrhosis; Tomography, spiral computed; Hemoperfusion