Role of magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging in diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy in children living with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: Diabetic nephropathy is a serious and a common complication of diabetes that can lead to end stage renal disease among children living with type 1 diabetes, thus an early and accurate method of diagnosis that allows timely intervention is of high importance. This study aimed to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging in diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy in children with type 1 diabetes.

Methods: This prospective, observational, case control study included 30 children with type 1 diabetes and 30 matched healthy controls attending the outpatient clinics in Mansoura University Children's Hospital. All were subjected to magnetic resonance DWI of the renal parenchyma and their glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated, along with micro albumin in 24 h urine collection and HbA1c in patients with diabetes.

Results: Children with diabetes who were positive for microalbuminuria had significantly lower apparent diffusion coefficient value compared to Children with diabetes who were negative for microalbuminuria (p = 0.034) as well as controls (p = 0.001). Among children with type 1 diabetes, apparent diffusion coefficient had significant positive correlation with estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = 0.491, p = 0.006) and negative correlation with microalbuminuria (r = -0.437, p = 0.016).

Conclusion: Magnetic resonance DWI of the renal parenchyma is correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in children with type 1 diabetes and can detect GFR deterioration even in presence of normal albumin excretion.