Comparison of native T1 mapping and acoustic radiation force impulse elastography for noninvasively assessing liver fibrosis: repeatability, reproducibility, and staging and monitoring the fibrosis process

To investigate the performances of native T1 mapping for noninvasively assessing liver fibrosis, including repeatability, reproducibility, and staging and monitoring the process of fibrosis, and to compare them with those of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography. The results of our experimental study suggest that native T1 mapping may be a reliable, accurate, and noninvasive tool for assessing liver fibrosis. Compared with ARFI elastography, native T1 mapping is a more robust quantitative technique with similar performances for staging fibrosis. Furthermore, it has a higher accuracy for monitoring liver fibrosis, especially for detecting fibrosis regression.