Application And Significance Of PC-MRI For Evaluating Liver Functions In Patients With Hepatitis B Liver Cirrhosis

Objective:To investigate the value of phase contrast-magnetic resonance imaging(PC-MRI)for evaluating the liver functions by measuring hemodynamic parameters of portal vein system in patients with liver cirrhosis.Methods:A total of 93 patients with hepatitis B liver cirrhosis receiving PC-MRI examination from October 2015 to March 2017 were selected as research objects.The patients were divided into group A(n=27),group B(n=35)and group C(n=31)according to Child-Pugh grading standard of liver functions.Thirty patients receiving PC-MRI examination because of other disease but without liver disease were selected as control group.The results of PC-MRI examination were studied and compared in four grops.Results:There were significant differences in blood vessel cross-sectional area,stroke blood flow volume,blood flow volume and blood flow velocity of portal vein in four groups(all P<0.01).For pairwise comparison,stroke blood flow volume,blood flow volume and blood flow velocity of portal vein decreased gradually according to the order of group A,group B,group C(all P<0.01),and there were statistical differences among parameters in group A,B and C compared with control group(all P<0.05)except the blood flow velocity of group A,stroke blood flow volume and blood flow velocity of group B.There was significant difference in blood vessel cross-sectional area of superior mesenteric vein only for all parameters in four group(P<0.01),and the blood vessel cross-sectional areas in group A,B and C were significantly higher than in control group for pairwise comparison(all P<0.05).There were significant differences in blood vessel cross-sectional area,stroke blood flow volume and blood flow velocity of splenic vein in four groups(all P<0.05).For pairwise comparison,the vessel cross-sectional area in group B was higher than that in control group(P<0.05),and stroke blood flow volume and blood flow velocity in group C were lower than those in control group(P<0.05).For the comparison of portal venous blood flow parameters with superior mesenteric vein plus splenic vein blood flow parameters in liver cirrhosis patients of three groups,the total stroke blood flow volume and total blood flow volume of superior mesenteric vein plus splenic vein in only group C were significantly higher than the blood flow volume and stroke blood flow volume of portal vein(all P<0.05).The model for end-stage liver disease(MELD)score in 93 liver cirrhosis patients was 9.76 ±6.13.Pearson correlation analysis showed that stroke blood flow volume,blood flow volume and blood flow velocity in portal vein and in splenic vein were respectively negatively correlated with MELD score(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:The result of detecting hemodynamic parameters of portal vein system by PC-MRI technique in patients with liver cirrhosis can better reflect the liver function impairment and provide more reliable reference basis for researching the complex hemodynamic changes of liver cirrhosis patients and evaluating hepatic reserve functions.