Abstract #4042

MRI-Based Detection of Extracellular Changes in the Hepatic Sinusoid in a Rat Model of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

Scott Charles Beeman¹, Joseph F. Georges², Lawrence Mandarino²,³, Jorge Rakela⁴, Kevin M. Bennett¹

¹Bioengineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States; ²School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States; ³Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, United States; ⁴Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, United States

The goal of this work was to develop an MRI-based technique for detection of changes to the ECM of the hepatic sinusoid during chronic liver disease. Using cationic ferritin (CF), an ECM-targeted nanoparticle contrast agent, we show that T₂* measurements in healthy animals decrease 50% after injection of CF while rats with chronic liver disease show no change in T₂* after CF injection. This is likely due to the structural changes to the ECM that occur during chronic liver disease. These results suggest that MRI and CF may be used to detect ECM-specific changes in chronic liver diseases.