HEPATIC CIRRHOSIS - MAGNETIZATION-TRANSFER CONTRAST IN THE GLOBUS-PALLIDUS

The magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR), a quantitative tissue characte ristic, and the pallidal index were measured in the globus pallidus of 37 patients with hepatic cirrhosis and 37 control subjects. The MTR d ecreased with severity of the disease, as indicated by the serum total bililubin, indocyanine green 15-min retention rate, and plasma ammoni a. The pallidal index correlated significantly with haematological par ameters, although the correlation coefficients tended to be lower than those between MTR and haematological parameters. This change in MTR c orresponded to the results of the manganese chloride experiments. T1 s hortening in the pallidum of patients with cirrhosis is presumably cau sed by paramagnetic effects, and possibly attributed to manganese depo sition.