NONINVASIVE ASSESSMENT OF DIFFUSE LIVER-DISEASE BY IN-VIVO MEASUREMENT OF PROTON NUCLEAR-MAGNETIC-RESONANCE RELAXATION-TIMES AT 0.08 T

44 patients with a range of parenchymal liver diseases diagnosed by bi opsy or laboratory investigations underwent proton nuclear magnetic re sonance (NMR) relaxometry of the liver at 0.08 T. T-1, maps were produ ced using an interleaved saturation recovery and inversion recovery se quence and T-2 maps using a four echo Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill sequen ce. Significantly raised relaxation times compared with a previously s tudied group of 42 normal volunteers were found in groups of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (p < 0.001 for T-1 and T-2), chronic active h epatitis (CAH) (p < 0.01 for T-1 and T-2) and minor liver abnormalitie s (p < 0.01, T-2 only). T-1 was significantly higher in cirrhotics tha n in patients with CAH (p < 0.002) and minor abnormalities (p < 0.001) . This suggests a role for relaxometry in the confirmation of the pres ence of cirrhosis (sensitivity = 75%, specificity approximate to 97% t aking T-1 > 266 ms as a positivity criterion). Reduced T-2 values were found in patients with liver iron overload prior to venesection (p < 0.001 ver sus normals, p < 0.02 versus venesected patients). Although this latter test has relatively low sensitivity and specificity, it ma y have a role in the monitoring of treatment for iron overload.