Quantification of Whole-Organ Renal Metabolic Rate of Oxygen Consumption During Free-Breathing

Motivation: Whole-organ renal oxygen metabolism increases by 40-65% during early stages of kidney disease. Current biomarkers are sensitive to later kidney disease stages once tissue damage has already occurred. Goal(s): Non-invasively quantify renal metabolic rate of oxygen during free-breathing, to be used as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of kidney disease. Approach: A new MRI sequence was tested in healthy adults at the left kidney that simultaneously measures blood water T2 and blood flow rate, from which metabolic rate of oxygenation is determined from Fick’s Principle. Results: Quantification of metabolic parameters show good agreement between free-breathing and breath-hold acquisitions. Impact: The renal metabolic rate of oxygen was non-invasively quantified at the left kidney during free-breathing in healthy adults. Renal oxygen metabolism can be a valuable physiological biomarker for early diagnosis of kidney disease before irreversible tissue damage occurs.