DYNAMIC P-31 SPECTROSCOPY AFTER FRUCTOSE LOAD IN EXPERIMENTAL BILIARYLIVER-CIRRHOSIS

Rationale and Objectives. The authors investigated the usefulness of d ynamic phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy in the asses sment of hepatic function by studying the effect of a fructose load on a rat model of liver cirrhosis. Methods. In vivo P-31 MR liver spectr a of eight rats with bile duct ligature and 10 control rats were obtai ned every 4.6 minutes before and after intraperitoneal fructose load ( 10 mmol per kilogram of body weight). Results. In the basal spectra of the experimental group, the phosphomonoester peak was higher than in the control group (P = .026). After the fructose load, the phosphomono ester peak increase and the inorganic phosphate peak decrease were sig nificantly less marked in the experimental group (P = .003). There was a linear correlation between the serum level of bilirubin and the pho sphomonoester increase (r = .61, P < .001). Conclusion. Dynamic P-31 M R spectroscopy may be useful in the assessment of hepatic function in chronic liver disease.