ASL combined with T1 mapping for assessment of renal function and histopathology in patients with long-term renal transplant survival

Motivation: Early and sensitive detection of graft renal dysfunction can help timely diagnosis of the disease and improve prognosis. Goal(s): We aimed to investigate the value of ASL and T1 mapping for assessing renal function in patients with long-term renal transplant survival. Approach: 63 patients were included, and all patients underwent MRI examination. MRI parameters were calculated and analyzed. Results: This study revealed that the combined application of ASL and T1 mapping can accurately assess the degree of renal impairment, and significant correlations were found between MRI parameters and several important Banff pathological scores which determined the diagnosis of renal allograft rejection and chronicity. Impact: The significant correlations between MRI parameters and pathological changes involving allograft rejection and chronicity highlight the clinical value of multiparametric MRI as a noninvasive and comprehensive modality for early diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring of renal allograft injury.