EFFECT OF FASTING AND FOOD-INTAKE ON MAGNETIZATION-TRANSFER OF HUMAN LIVER-TISSUE

Magnetization transfer (MT) technique is a promising method in differe ntial diagnosis of diseases in parenchymal tissues. Basic knowledge ab out circumstances and elementary factors that influence MT and its par ameters is still insufficient, however, Having a meal before the magne tic resonance (MR) examination could change liver MT parameters compar ed to fasting state through alteration in liver perfusion, blood flow, and content of portal blood (proteins and other derivates from a meal ), If MT parameters can be altered by a meal, then MR liver studies sh ould always be performed after fasting, Before MRI examinations we exa mined three healthy volunteers after a high-fat meal with Doppler ultr asound technique to find out duration and magnitude of changes in port al blood flow, Duration of greater than or equal to 50% increased peak -flow value compared to fasting state in portal vein was >90 min, whic h is enough for our MR examination, With a low-field 0,1-T MR imager w e examined 10 healthy volunteers after a short (range from 3 h 45 min to 17 h 30 min) fast and also immediately after a high-fat meal, Magne tization transfer parameters, magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and m agnetization transfer rate R(wm) of liver tissue were determined, MTR changed significantly (Student paired two-tailed t-test, p = .0044) af ter a meal, but R(wm) did not (p = .0952), We recommend a 4 h fast bef ore MR examination that aims to determine the MTR of liver tissue, (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.