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Gadoxetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) is a paramagnetic MRI contrast agent with raising popularity and has been used for evaluation of imaging-based liver function in recent years. In order to verify whether liver function as determined by real-time breath analysis using the intravenous administration of 13 C-methacetin can be estimated quantitatively from Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI using signal intensity (SI) values. 110 patients underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3-T MRI and, for the evaluation of liver function, a 13 C-methacetin breath test ( 13 C-MBT). SI values from before (SI pre ) and 20 min after (SI post ) contrast media injection were acquired by T1-weighted volume-interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) sequences with fat suppression. The relative enhancement (RE) between the plain and contrast-enhanced SI values was calculated and evaluated in a correlation analysis of 13 C-MBT values to SI post and RE to obtain a SI-based estimation of 13 C-MBT values. The simple regression model showed a log-linear correlation of 13 C-MBT values with SI post and RE (p < 0.001). Stratified by 3 different categories of 13 C-MBT readouts, there was a constant significant decrease in both SI post (p ≤ 0.002) and RE (p ≤ 0.033) with increasing liver disease progression as assessed by the 13 C-MBT. Liver function as determined using real-time 13 C-methacetin breath analysis can be estimated quantitatively from Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI using SI-based indices.

Purpose: Contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is able to assess liver function by characteristic changes of signal intensity (SI).The aim was to evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced SI-indices of the abdominal aorta, portal vein and liver., Methods: 72 patients underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and a 13C-methacetin-based liver breath test (13C-MBT) for evaluation of liver function. Region-of-interest measurements in the liver, abdominal aorta and portal vein during native, arterial (AP), late arterial (LAP), portal venous (PVP) and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) were applied to analyze SI-indices in T1-weighted volume-interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) sequences with fat-suppression and relative enhancement (RE) analysis was performed., Results: The liver (p < 0.001), the portal vein (p < 0.001) and abdominal aorta (p = 0.002) showed significant decrease of REs with decreasing liver function. An increasing trend between logarithmic values of 13C-MBT and REs of hepatic parenchyma (HBP; r = 0.662, p < 0.001), portal vein (PVP; r = 0.532, p < 0.001) and abdominal aorta (PVP; r = 0.421, p < 0.001) was observed., Conclusions: RE measurements of the hepatic parenchyma proofed to be a trustable evaluation method for liver function evaluation. In accordance with liver function, changes of REs in the portal vein and abdominal aorta occur.