The Exploration of Skeletal Muscle Abnormalities in Advanced Chronic Liver Disease using Muscle ECV Measured by T1-mapping MRI

Motivation: To evaluate the mechanism of skeletal muscle abnormalities in patients with advanced chronic liver disease(ACLD) Goal(s): To investigate the the correlation between muscle extracellular volume (ECV) measured by T1-mapping MRI and liver function in ACLD . Approach: A total of 118 patients with ACLD were recruited in this study. The ECV of the paraspinal muscle at the L3 level was calculated .Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of liver function decompensation in ACLD patients. Results: After adjusting for age, gender, body mass index(BMI), hypertension, muscle ECV was identified as an independent predictor for liver function decompensation in ACLD. Impact: The muscle ECV fraction, quantified by T1-mapping MRI, may help elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms of skeletal muscle abnormalities in patients with ACLD.