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Quantification of renal allograft perfusion using arterial spin labeling MRI: initial results

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Abstract

Objective

To quantify renal allograft perfusion in recipients with stable allograft function and acute decrease in allograft function using nonenhanced flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR)-TrueFISP arterial spin labeling (ASL) MR imaging.

Methods

Following approval of the local ethics committee, 20 renal allograft recipients were included in this study. ASL perfusion measurement and an anatomical T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo (HASTE) sequence were performed on a 1.5-T scanner (Magnetom Avanto, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). T2-weighted MR urography was performed in patients with suspected ureteral obstruction. Patients were assigned to three groups: group a, 6 patients with stable allograft function over the previous 4 months; group b, 7 patients with good allograft function who underwent transplantation during the previous 3 weeks; group c, 7 allograft recipients with an acute deterioration of renal function.

Results

Mean cortical perfusion values were 304.8 ± 34.4, 296.5 ± 44.1, and 181.9 ± 53.4 mg/100 ml/min for groups a, b and c, respectively. Reduction in cortical perfusion in group c was statistically significant.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that ASL is a promising technique for nonenhanced quantification of cortical perfusion of renal allografts. Further studies are required to determine the clinical value of ASL for monitoring renal allograft recipients.

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Abbreviations

MRI:

magnetic resonance imaging

ASL:

arterial spin labeling

FAIR:

flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery

TRAS:

transplant renal artery stenosis

BOLD:

blood oxygenation level-dependent

DWI:

diffusion-weighted imaging

ADC:

apparent diffusion coefficient

NSF:

nephrogenic systemic fibrosis

FOV:

field of view

ROI:

region of interest

RF:

radiofrequency

TI:

inversion time

MRU:

MR urography

ATN:

acute tubular necrosis

GFR:

glomerular filtration ratio

EPI:

echo-planar imaging

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Rotem S. Lanzman, Hans-Jörg Wittsack, Philip Bilk, Patric Kröpil & Dirk Blondin

  2. Section for Experimental Radiology, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Petros Martirosian & Fritz Schick

  3. Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Panagiota Zgoura & Adina Voiculescu

Authors
  1. Rotem S. Lanzman
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  2. Hans-Jörg Wittsack
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  3. Petros Martirosian
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  4. Panagiota Zgoura
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  5. Philip Bilk
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  7. Fritz Schick
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  8. Adina Voiculescu
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  9. Dirk Blondin
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Correspondence to Rotem S. Lanzman.

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Lanzman, R.S., Wittsack, HJ., Martirosian, P. et al. Quantification of renal allograft perfusion using arterial spin labeling MRI: initial results. Eur Radiol 20, 1485–1491 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1675-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1675-0

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