Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research最新文献

{"title":"Identifying High-Risk NASH Patients: What We Know so Far.","authors":"Marten Schulz,&nbsp;Frank Tacke","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S265473","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S265473","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Steatosis is a condition of hepatic fat overload that is associated with overweight and the metabolic syndrome. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common liver disease with a global impact on healthcare. A proportion of NAFLD patients develops nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver fibrosis, cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Identifying patients at risk for potentially life-threatening complications is crucial in their prevention, surveillance and treatment. In addition to hepatic disease progression (cirrhosis, portal hypertension, HCC), NAFLD patients are also at risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases as well as extrahepatic malignancies. Liver fibrosis is related to morbidity and mortality in NASH patients, and biomarkers, imaging techniques (ultrasound, elastography, MRI) as well as liver biopsy help in diagnosing fibrosis. In this review, we discuss the tools for identifying patients at risk and their reasonable application in clinical routine in order to stratify prevention and treatment of this emerging disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"125-138"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2147/HMER.S265473","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38525488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the Therapeutic Potential of Cenicriviroc in the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis with Fibrosis: A Brief Report on Emerging Data.","authors":"Maria Paula Diaz Soto,&nbsp;Joseph K Lim","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S230613","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S230613","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma, and represents a leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States (U.S.). A growing spectrum of novel therapies are currently in clinical development and target several mechanisms of action which address hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis, and hepatic fibrosis. Cenicriviroc (Allergan, Dublin, Ireland) is a novel oral antagonist of CC-motif chemokine receptors 2 and 5 (CCR2/5) which have demonstrated expression on circulating monocytes and Kupffer cells. Preclinical models have confirmed that CCR2/5 antagonism may block fat accumulation and Kupffer cell activation and disrupt monocyte/macrophage recruitment and hepatic stellate cell activation responsible for fibrogenesis. Herein we review results from the phase 2b CENTAUR trial and study designs for the phase 2b TANDEM and phase 3 AURORA trials and discuss the potential role of cenicriviroc in future pharmacotherapy for NASH fibrosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"115-123"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2147/HMER.S230613","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38343320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In Vitro Intraductal MRI and T2 Mapping of Cholangiocarcinoma Using Catheter Coils.","authors":"Narong Khuntikeo, Attapol Titapun, Nittaya Chamadol, Wuttisak Boonphongsathien, Prakasit Sa-Ngiamwibool, Simon D Taylor-Robinson, Christopher A Wadsworth, Shuo Zhang, Evdokia M Kardoulaki, Richard R A Syms","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S266841","DOIUrl":"10.2147/HMER.S266841","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Diagnostic imaging of early-stage cholangiocarcinoma is challenging. A previous in vitro study of fixed-tissue liver resection specimens investigated T2 mapping as a method of exploiting the locally increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of duodenoscope coils for improved quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), despite their non-uniform sensitivity. This work applies similar methods to unfixed liver specimens using catheter-based receivers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ex vivo intraductal MRI and T2 mapping were carried out at 3T on unfixed resection specimens obtained from cholangiocarcinoma patients immediately after surgery using a catheter coil based on a thin-film magneto-inductive waveguide, inserted directly into an intrahepatic duct.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Polypoid intraductal cholangiocarcinoma was imaged using fast spin-echo sequences. High-resolution T2 maps were extracted by fitting of data obtained at different echo times to mono-exponential models, and disease-induced changes were correlated with histopathology. An increase in T2 was found compared with fixed specimens and differences in T2 allowed the resolution of tumour tissue and malignant features such as polypoid morphology.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Despite their limited field of view, useful data can be obtained using catheter coils, and T2 mapping offers an effective method of exploiting their local SNR advantage without the need for image correction.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"107-114"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7397475/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38278467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Oral Administration of <i>Weissella confusa</i> on Fecal and Plasma Ethanol Concentrations, Lipids and Glucose Metabolism in Wistar Rats Fed High Fructose and Fat Diet.","authors":"Fouad M F Elshaghabee,&nbsp;Darab Ghadimi,&nbsp;Diana Habermann,&nbsp;Michael de Vrese,&nbsp;Wilhelm Bockelmann,&nbsp;Hans-Jürgen Kaatsch,&nbsp;Knut J Heller,&nbsp;Jürgen Schrezenmeir","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S254195","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S254195","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>In previous investigations, <i>Weissella confusa</i> was shown to lack the metabolic pathway from fructose to mannitol and to produce ethanol when cultivated in the presence of fructose. Hence, we assessed the effect of oral administration of <i>W. confusa</i> (strain NRRL-B-14171) on blood and fecal ethanol concentrations, glucose and lipid metabolism and traits of the metabolic syndrome in Wistar rats (n=27) fed diets with two different fat and fructose levels and with or without the addition of <i>W. confusa</i> during a total intervention time of 15 weeks (105 days).</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>From week 1 to 6, rats were given a medium fructose and fat (MFru-MF) diet containing 28% fructose and 10% fat without the addition of <i>W. confusa</i> (control group, n=13) or mixed with 30 g per kg diet of lyophilized <i>W. confusa</i> (10.56 ± 0.20 log CFU/g; <i>W. confusa</i> group, n=14). From week 7 to 15, the percentage of dietary fructose and fat in the control and <i>W. confusa</i> group was increased to 56% and 16%, respectively (high fructose-high fat (HFru-HF) diet).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In HFru-HF-fed rats, <i>W. confusa</i> was detected in feces, regardless of whether <i>W. confusa</i> was added to the diet or not, but not in rats receiving the MFru-MF diet without added <i>W. confusa</i> or in an additional control group (n=10) fed standard rat food without fructose, increased fat content and <i>W. confusa</i>. This indicates that fecal <i>W. confusa</i> may be derived from orally administered <i>W. confusa</i> as well as - in the case of high fructose and fat intake and obesity of rats - from the intestinal microbiota. As shown by multifactorial ANOVA, blood ethanol, the relative liver weight, serum triglycerides, and serum cholesterol as well as fecal ethanol, ADH, acetate, propionate and butyrate, but not lactate, were significantly higher in the <i>W. confusa -</i> compared to the control group.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This is the first in vivo trial demonstrating that heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria lacking the mannitol pathway (like <i>W. confusa</i>) can increase fecal and blood ethanol concentrations in mammals on a high fructose-high fat diet. This may explain why <i>W. confusa</i> resulted in hyperlipidemia and may promote development of NAFLD in the host.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"93-106"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2147/HMER.S254195","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38118619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro Differentiation of Human TERT-Transfected Multi-Lineage Progenitor Cells (MLPC) into Immortalized Hepatocyte-Like Cells.","authors":"Daniel P Collins,&nbsp;Joel H Hapke,&nbsp;Rajagopal N Aravalli,&nbsp;Clifford J Steer","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S245916","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S245916","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Research directed towards drug development, metabolism, and liver functions often utilize primary hepatocytes (PH) for preliminary in vitro studies. Variability in the in vitro functionality of PH and the unsuitability of hepatocarcinoma cells for these studies have driven researchers to look to ESC, iPS, and other stem cell types using differentiation protocols to provide more reliable and available cells. This study describes the development of hepatocyte-like cells through the in vitro differentiation of human TERT-immortalized cord blood-derived multi-lineage progenitor cells (MLPC). The E12 clonal cell line derived from polyclonal TERT-transfected cells was used throughout the study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>E12 MLPC were subjected to a three-step differentiation protocol using alternating combinations of growth factors, cytokines, and maturational factors. Cells at various stages of differentiation were analyzed for consistency with PH by morphology, immunohistochemistry, urea production, and gene expression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>E12 MLPC were shown to significantly change morphology with each stage of differentiation. Coincidental with the morphological changes in the cells, immunohistochemistry data documented the differentiation to committed endoderm by the expression of SOX-17 and GATA-4; the progression to committed hepatocyte-like cells by the expression of a large number of markers including α-fetoprotein and albumin; and the final differentiation by the expression of nuclear and cytoplasmic HNF4. Fully differentiated cells demonstrated gene expression, urea production, and immunohistochemistry consistent with PH. A methodology and medium formulation to continuously expand the E12-derived hepatocyte-like cells is described.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The availability of immortalized hepatocyte-like cell lines could provide a consistent tool for the study of hepatic diseases, drug discovery, and the development of cellular therapies for liver disorders. Utilization of these techniques could provide a basis for the development of bridge therapies for liver failure patients awaiting transplant.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"79-92"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2147/HMER.S245916","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38109340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Update on Emerging Treatment Options for Primary Biliary Cholangitis.","authors":"Maria T Aguilar,&nbsp;David M Chascsa","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S205431","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S205431","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a rare autoimmune cholestatic liver disease that may progress to fibrosis or cirrhosis. Treatment options are currently limited. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) remains first-line therapy and has been proven to normalize serum biochemistries, halt histologic disease progression, and lead to patient survival comparable to the general population. Obeticholic acid (OCA) was recently approved as adjunct therapy in PBC patients with inadequate response or intolerance to UDCA. However, OCA has been associated with worsening pruritus in clinical studies which may limit its use in this patient population. Several studies are currently underway to address the lack of treatment options for PBC. Of these, fibrates, which have been used in Japan for over a decade, have produced promising results. Furthermore, as currently approved therapies for PBC do not address the potentially debilitating clinical symptoms of PBC such as pruritus and fatigue, supplemental therapy is often required for symptom control.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"69-77"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2147/HMER.S205431","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38051519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elbasvir/Grazoprevir for HCV Infection in Russia: A Randomized Trial.","authors":"Konstantin Zhdanov,&nbsp;Vasily Isakov,&nbsp;Eduard Burnevich,&nbsp;Svetlana Kizhlo,&nbsp;Igor Bakulin,&nbsp;Vadim Pokrovsky,&nbsp;Liwen Liang,&nbsp;Peggy Hwang,&nbsp;Rohit Talwani,&nbsp;Barbara A Haber,&nbsp;Michael N Robertson","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S241418","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S241418","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major healthcare concern in Russia, where almost 5 million individuals are viremic. Elbasvir/grazoprevir is a fixed-dose combination therapy for the treatment of HCV genotype 1 and genotype 4 infection. The present analysis aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of elbasvir/grazoprevir in individuals with HCV infection enrolled at Russian study sites in the C-CORAL study. Patients and Methods C-CORAL (Protocol PN-5172-067; NCT02251990) was a Phase 3, placebo-controlled, double-blind study conducted throughout Asia and Russia. Treatment-naive participants with chronic HCV infection were randomly assigned to receive immediate or deferred treatment with elbasvir 50 mg/grazoprevir 100 mg once daily for 12 weeks. Participants in the immediate-treatment group received elbasvir/grazoprevir for 12 weeks, and those in the deferred-treatment group received placebo for 12 weeks, followed by open-label elbasvir/grazoprevir for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after completion of therapy (SVR12). Results One hundred and nineteen Russian participants were randomized (immediate-treatment group, n=88; deferred-treatment group, n=31). Most participants were white (99%) with HCV genotype 1b infection (97%) and mild-to-moderate (F0–F2) fibrosis (70%). SVR12 was achieved by 98.9% participants in the immediate-treatment group and by 100% of those receiving deferred elbasvir/grazoprevir in the deferred-treatment group. One participant relapsed with nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) L28M and Y93H resistance-associated substitutions at baseline and at time of failure. Drug-related adverse events were reported by 19% of participants receiving elbasvir/grazoprevir in the immediate-treatment group and by 16% of those receiving placebo in the deferred-treatment group. No serious adverse event or deaths occurred, and no participant discontinued treatment owing to an adverse event. Conclusion Elbasvir/grazoprevir for 12 weeks was highly effective in treatment-naive Russian individuals with HCV genotype 1b infection.","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"61-68"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2147/HMER.S241418","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37901244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical Implications of Thrombocytopenia for the Cirrhotic Patient.","authors":"Samuel H Sigal,&nbsp;Zachary Sherman,&nbsp;Arun Jesudian","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S244596","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S244596","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thrombocytopenia is a frequent complication in patients with cirrhosis. As many as 84% of patients with cirrhosis have thrombocytopenia, and it is an independent variable indicative of advanced disease and poor prognosis. Although there is great concern that it may aggravate bleeding during surgical procedures, there is limited evidence to inform decisions regarding the treatment of cirrhotic patients with thrombocytopenia undergoing invasive procedures. Finally, there is evidence that platelets play a significant role in liver regeneration. In this report, the clinical implications of thrombocytopenia in cirrhotic patients are reviewed. The utility of platelet counts in the prognosis of cirrhosis and relationship to complications of advanced liver disease, including portal hypertension, esophageal varices, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The impact of low platelet counts on bleeding complications during invasive procedures is outlined. Finally, the role of platelets and potential adverse impact in liver regeneration is reviewed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"49-60"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2147/HMER.S244596","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37878455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prospective Comparison of Transient Elastography Using Two Different Devices: Performance of FibroScan and FibroTouch.","authors":"Joao Tiago Serra,&nbsp;Johannes Mueller,&nbsp;Haidong Teng,&nbsp;Omar Elshaarawy,&nbsp;Sebastian Mueller","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S245455","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S245455","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Transient elastography (TE) using FibroScan (FS) has been established to non-invasively assess liver fibrosis and steatosis. The aim of this study was to compare the recently introduced FibroTouch (FT) device with the established FS with respect to liver stiffness and CAP.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>Thirty-nine patients with and without liver disease were included. All patients were measured three times with FS (FibroScan 530 compact, Echosens, France) and FT (FibroTouch-FT100, Wuxi Hisky Med, China). For FS, M and XL probe were used according to the manufacturer's specifications. For steatosis, CAP and the comparable FT equivalent UAP (ultrasound attenuation parameter) was determined. Finally, FT and FS were explored in liver tissue-mimicking phantoms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>LS between FS and FT correlated well with r=0.91. Root-mean-square (RMS) of the coefficient of variation for LS was better in FS (11.1% vs 27.4%). Bland-Altman analysis showed a 3.1 kPa mean overestimation of LS by FT. In addition, UAP strongly and linearly depended on the BMI following UAP=3.02 × BMI+186. In phantoms, a similar relation was found with UAP (phantom)= 3.78 × BMI + 146 suggesting that UAP is directly calculated from entered BMI instead of assessing shear-wave attenuation. Consequently, RMS-CV was lower for FT (6.0% vs 9.7%). However, if using different BMI, CV-RMS for FT increased to 12.7%. LS of a patient with manifest liver cirrhosis and ascites was 38.8 kPa using the FS-XL probe but almost normal with FT (7.2 kPa).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although LS by FT shows good correlation with LS-FS, it has larger variation, continuously overestimates LS and completely fails in ascites. Moreover, FT-UAP seems to be a misleading parameter for steatosis assessment because it is at least in part calculated from mandatory entered patient data. In conclusion, novel LS cut-off values need to be defined for LS-FT and usage of UAP is not recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"41-48"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2147/HMER.S245455","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37826865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving the Detection of Cholangiocarcinoma: In vitro MRI-Based Study Using Local Coils and T2 Mapping.","authors":"Narong Khuntikeo,&nbsp;Attapol Titapun,&nbsp;Nittaya Chamadol,&nbsp;Wuttisak Boonphongsathien,&nbsp;Prakasit Sa-Ngiamwibool,&nbsp;Simon D Taylor-Robinson,&nbsp;Christopher A Wadsworth,&nbsp;Shuo Zhang,&nbsp;Evdokia M Kardoulaki,&nbsp;Ian R Young,&nbsp;Richard R A Syms","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S232392","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S232392","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Cholangiocarcinoma is endemic in southeast Asia, generally developing from liver fluke infestation. However, diagnostic imaging of early-stage disease is challenging. The aim of this work is to investigate relaxometry (specifically, T2 mapping) as a method of exploiting the higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of internal coils for improved reception of magnetic resonance signals, despite their non-uniform sensitivity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ex vivo T2 mapping was carried out at 3T on fixed resection specimens from Thai cholangiocarcinoma patients using an mGRASE sequence and an endoscope coil based on a thin-film magneto-inductive waveguide and designed ultimately for internal use.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Disease-induced changes including granulomatous inflammation, intraepithelial neoplasia and intraductal tumours were correlated with histopathology, and relaxation data were compared with mono- and bi-exponential models of T2 relaxation. An approximately 10-fold local advantage in SNR compared to a 16-element torso coil was demonstrated using the endoscope coil, and improved tissue differentiation was obtained without contrast agents.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The performance advantage above follows directly from the inverse relation between the component of the standard deviation of T2 due to thermal noise and the SNR, and offers an effective method of exploiting the SNR advantage of internal coils. No correction is required, avoiding the need for tracking, relaxing constraints on coil and slice orientation and providing rapid visualization.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"12 ","pages":"29-39"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2020-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2147/HMER.S232392","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37826864","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}