Abstract
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been actively explored in the last several decades for assessing renal function by providing several physiological information, including glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, tissue oxygenation and water diffusion. Within MRI, the developing field of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) has potential to provide further functional information for diagnosing kidney diseases. Both endogenous produced molecules as well as exogenously administered CEST agents have been exploited for providing functional information related to kidney diseases in preclinical studies. In particular, CEST MRI has been exploited for assessing the acid-base homeostasis in the kidney and for monitoring pH changes in several disease models. This review summarizes several CEST MRI procedures for assessing kidney functionality and pH, for monitoring renal pH changes in different kidney injury models and for evaluating renal allograft rejection.This chapter is based upon work from the COST Action PARENCHIMA, a community-driven network funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) program of the European Union, which aims to improve the reproducibility and standardization of renal MRI biomarkers. This introduction chapter is complemented by two separate chapters describing the experimental procedure and data analysis.
Highlights
Renal dysfunction is recognized as a significant health problem originating from a variety of causes leading to acute or chronic kidney diseases
Reliable and early diagnosis of acute and chronic kidney diseases is needed to preserve renal functionality and Recently, Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has emerged as a novel approach for functional and molecular imaging with great promise for clinical translation [16–18]
CEST MRI pH imaging has emerged as a valuable approach for assessing extracellular pH values in several tissues, including kidneys and tumors, providing the highest accuracy and spatial resolution achievable so far [19]
Summary
Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) MRI has emerged as a novel approach for functional and molecular imaging with great promise for clinical translation [16–18]. Owing to the key role of the kidneys in maintaining the acid-base homeostasis, CEST MRI pH mapping has emerged as a novel and promising approach in monitoring kidney functionality. We will address the basic concept and the developments of renal CEST pH imaging with the emphasis on kidney disease models in rodents. This introduction chapter is complemented by two separate chapters describing the experimental procedure and data analysis, which are part of this book.
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