Abstract #0091

Chavez A, Aguirre D, Znamirowski R, Sirlin C, Malek P, Bydder M, Robson M, Bydder G, Wolfson T

The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of liver is reduced in fibrotic liver disease. This reduction is generally assumed to be caused by the fibrosis itself. This assumption overlooks the potential contribution of non-fibrotic regenerative liver tissue, which constitutes the dominant fraction of total liver content. This study prospectively compared proton diffusion in fibrosis and regenerative nodules in explanted cirrhotic liver specimens, utilizing high-resolution DW images. Pathology was the reference for tissue classification. Proton diffusion was significantly more restricted in regenerative nodules than fibrosis. This suggests that regenerative tissue contributes significantly to the reduced liver ADC value observed in cirrhosis.