Bioengineering (Feb 2023)

MRI Liver Imaging Integrated with Texture Analysis in Native Liver Survivor Patients with Biliary Atresia after Kasai Portoenterostomy: Correlation with Medical Outcome after Surgical Treatment

  • Martina Caruso,
  • Arnaldo Stanzione,
  • Carlo Ricciardi,
  • Fabiola Di Dato,
  • Noemi Pisani,
  • Gregorio Delli Paoli,
  • Marco De Giorgi,
  • Raffaele Liuzzi,
  • Carmine Mollica,
  • Valeria Romeo,
  • Raffaele Iorio,
  • Mario Cesarelli,
  • Arturo Brunetti,
  • Simone Maurea

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10030306
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 3
p. 306

Abstract

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Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) plays a crucial role in the treatment of biliary atresia (BA). The aim is to correlate MRI quantitative findings of native liver survivor BA patients after KP with a medical outcome. Thirty patients were classified as having ideal medical outcomes (Group 1; n = 11) if laboratory parameter values were in the normal range and there was no evidence of chronic liver disease complications; otherwise, they were classified as having nonideal medical outcomes (Group 2; n = 19). Liver and spleen volumes, portal vein diameter, liver mean, and maximum and minimum ADC values were measured; similarly, ADC and T2-weighted textural parameters were obtained using ROI analysis. The liver volume was significantly (p = 0.007) lower in Group 2 than in Group 1 (954.88 ± 218.31 cm3 vs. 1140.94 ± 134.62 cm3); conversely, the spleen volume was significantly (p 3 vs. 231.83 ± 70.97 cm3). No differences were found in the portal vein diameter, liver ADC values, or ADC and T2-weighted textural parameters. In conclusion, significant quantitative morpho-volumetric liver and spleen abnormalities occurred in BA patients with nonideal medical outcomes after KP, but no significant microstructural liver abnormalities detectable by ADC values and ADC and T2-weighted textural parameters were found between the groups.

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