P-31 MAGNETIC-RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY OF THE LIVER - CORRELATION WITH STANDARDIZED SERUM, CLINICAL, AND HISTOLOGICAL-CHANGES IN DIFFUSE LIVER-DISEASE

The goal of this study was to analyze the possibilities of P-31 MR spe ctroscopy to detect abnormal hepatic histological changes in patients with diffuse liver disease. P-31 MR spectroscopy was performed on a 1. 5 T whole-body spectrometer using an image guided localization techniq ue (ISIS), on 38 patients with various diffuse liver diseases, who all underwent histological and serum analysis, and 22 healthy volunteers, Phosphomonoester expressed as a fraction of total phosphorus (PME/P) showed a correlation with abnormal serum aspartate transaminase (AST), histological intralobular degeneration/focal necrosis, portal inflamm ation, and piecemeal necrosis. We found a lower correlation for PME/P with fibrosis. It was not possible to differentiate between fibrosis a nd cirrhosis. In summary, P-31 MR spectroscopy is a technique to detec t intralobular degeneration, inflammation and necrosis and to a less e xtent fibrosis. No diagnostic value was found with respect to steatosi s and cholangitis, Furthermore, P-31 MR spectroscopy is a poor method for classifying patients into diagnostic categories.