Diagnosing Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease in Experimental Rats Using Various Diffusion-Weighted MRI Models

Motivation: The increasing prevalence of metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) requires improved diagnostic tools to noninvasively detect disease severity and progression. Goal(s): To evaluate the feasibility and performance of six diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) models in distinguishing MASH from other liver conditions in experimental rats. Approach: Using multi-b-value diffusion-weighted MRI, diffusion parameters were explored across control, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and MASH groups. Correlations with MAFLD/NAFLD activity scores and diagnostic accuracy were assessed via receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: Key diffusion parameters showed significant differences among groups and strong correlations with disease severity scores, outperforming conventional DWI in distinguishing MASH. Impact: This research highlights the enhanced diagnostic precision of diffusion-weighted MRI for MASH, exceeding the precision of conventional methods. These findings provide a basis for studies regarding early intervention strategies and may lead to refined diagnostic protocols for liver disease severity.