Abstract #0256

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) Analysis of Liver Fibrosis in an Experimental Mouse Model

April M. Chow^1,2, Darwin S. Gao^1,3, Shu Juan Fan^1,3, Gladys G. Lo⁴, Siu Ki Yu², Ed X. Wu^1,3

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.