High performance of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion MRI in detecting viral hepatitis-b induced liver fibrosis.

Background: Recently a small cohort study demonstrated that intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion MRI can detect early stage liver fibrosis. Using modified IVIM data acquisition parameters, the current study aims to confirm this finding. Methods: Twenty-six healthy volunteers, three patients of chronic viral hepatitis-b but without fibrosis and one mild liver steatosis subject, and 12 viral hepatitis-b patients with fibrosis (stage 1–2=7, stage 3–4=5) were included in this study. With a 1.5-T MR scanner and respiration-gating, IVIM diffusion imaging was acquired using a single-shot echo-planar sequence with a b -value series of 2, 0, 1, 15, 20, 30, 45, 50, 60, 80, 100, 200, 300, 600…