Hepatic inflammation grading in diffuse liver disease using three-dimensional multifrequency MR elastography

Motivation: Additional viscoelastic parameters measured using 3D multifrequency MRE have been reported to detect inflammation in the liver. However, a clinical cohort with multiple etiologies has not been well-studied. Goal(s): Our goal was to determine the role of 3D multifrequency MRE for staging hepatic inflammation in diffuse liver disease with various etiologies. Approach: Viscoelastic parameters were derived from 3D MRE with low, medium and high vibration frequencies, and compared with histological assessment. Results: The moduli |G*|, G’ and G” and the exponent of power law γ were found to be associated with inflammation. Impact: Three-dimensional multifrequency MRE, with its ability to provide additional viscoelastic parameters, could be a powerful tool for the non-invasive detection of inflammation activity in patients with diffuse liver disease.