April M. Chow1,2,
Darwin S. Gao1,3, Shu Juan Fan1,3, Gladys G. Lo4,
Siu Ki Yu2, Ed X. Wu1,3
1Laboratory of Biomedical
Imaging & Signal Processing, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong
Kong SAR, China, People's Republic of; 2Medical Physics &
Research Department, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Happy Valley, Hong
Kong SAR, China, People's Republic of; 3Department of Electrical
& Electronic Engineering, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong
Kong SAR, China, People's Republic of; 4Department of Diagnostic
& Interventional Radiology, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Happy
Valley, Hong Kong SAR, China, People's Republic of
Early diagnosis of liver fibrosis could facilitate early interventions and treatments, preventing its progression to cirrhosis. Recently, diffusing imaging has been shown to be promising in characterization of liver fibrosis. In this study, using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) analysis and a mouse model of CCl4-induced fibrosis, we showed that both molecular water diffusion and blood microcirculation contribute to the alteration in apparent diffusion changes in liver fibrosis. Among all parameters studied, blood pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*) showed largest percentage change at 2 weeks after CCl4 insult. IVIM analysis can be valuable in characterizing liver fibrosis at early phase and monitoring its progression.