Noninvasive assessment of renal function and pathology of CKD using amide proton transfer weighted imaging and diffusion kurtosis imaging

Motivation: To explore a noninvasive and sensitive method for detecting the renal insufficiency and pathological abnormality of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Goal(s): To investigate the potential of amide proton transfer-weighted imaging (APTWI) and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) as viable tools for assessing renal function and pathology of CKD. Approach: To analyze the differences and diagnostic performances of MRI metrics between different renal dysfunction and pathological injury groups. Results: Both APTWI and DKI can be feasible tools for the noninvasive assessment of renal functional and pathological changes associated with CKD. APT exhibits superior diagnostic efficacy than MD in detecting early renal dysfunction and pathological abnormalities. Impact: The study suggests that APTWI and DKI provide valuable information regarding the renal function and pathology, which has great significance in guiding risk stratification and longitudinal follow-up of CKD.