View Presentation Video

Marjola Thanaj¹, Nicolas Basty¹, Madeleine Cule², Elena Sorokin², Jimmy Bell¹, Elizabeth Louise Thomas¹, and Brandon Witcher^1
1Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, ²Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA, United States

Keywords: Kidney, Kidney, Mass Univariate Regression Analysis

Organ MRI measurements have the potential to enhance our understanding of the precise phenotypic changes underlying many clinical conditions. Using kidney mesh-based shape analysis we were able to detect variation in specific anatomical regions of the kidney, and associate this with anthropometric traits as well as disease states including chronic kidney disease (CKD), type-2 diabetes (T2D), and hypertension. We show that CKD is associated with smaller kidneys. We also show that T2D and hypertension are associated with larger kidneys.

View Presentation Video

Keywords: Kidney, Data Acquisition

Total kidney volume (TKV) is a critical biomarker for monitoring disease severity in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). TKV is typically measured by manually contouring kidneys on one sequence from abdominal MRI without any quality control. Here we show that by using a deep learning model to measure kidney volume on 5 routinely acquired abdominal MRI sequences, it is possible to apply outlier analysis to find images with acquisition artifacts and to correct or exclude them from TKV estimation. This improves volume measurement consistency among the 5 sequences from 4.3% to 1.3% after quality control. 

Jie Zhu¹, Jia-Yin Gao¹, Pu-Yeh Wu², and Yan Song^1
1Beijing Hospital, Beijing, China, ²GE Healthcare, Beijing, China

Keywords: Data Analysis, Diffusion/other diffusion imaging techniques

Noninvasive, repeatable and accurate biomarkers to identify renal histological changes for tailoring treatment and evaluating renal prognosis are demanded. In this study, we aimed to compare and probe correlations of parameters derived from standard DWI and its extending models including IVIM, DTI, and DKTI with the pathological and functional alterations in CKD. We found that the corrected diffusion-related indices, including cortical and medullary D and MD, as well as medullary FA were superior to ADC, perfusion-related and kurtosis indices for evaluating alterations of renal pathology and function in CKD patients, and these metrics were also correlated with eGFR and Scr.

View Presentation Video

Octavia Bane^1,2, Li Feng^1,2, Ding Xia^1,2, Haitham Al-Mubarak^1,2, Jordan Cuevas^1,2, Thangamani Muthukumar³, Jonathan Dyke⁴, Madhav Menon⁵, Samira Farouk⁶, Bachir Taouli^1,2, and Sara Lewis^1,2
1Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States, ²BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States, ³Nephrology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States, ⁴Citigroup Biomedical Imaging Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States, ⁵Nephrology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States, ⁶Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States

Keywords: Kidney, Quantitative Imaging, T1 mapping, cortex, medulla, transplantation

This work demonstrates rapid free-breathing 3D T1 mapping of the kidney using Magnetization-Prepared Golden-angle RAdial Sparse Parallel imaging (GraspT1). The accuracy and performance of GraspT1was prospectively compared with B1-corrected variable flip angle (VFA) T1 mapping in phantom and in 13 patients with renal transplant. In phantom, both GraspT1 and VFA enabled accurate T1 estimation compared to the gold standard. In patients, free-breathing 3D GraspT1 provided better spatial resolution for improved cortico-medullary differentiation compared to the VFA method, while achieving whole-kidney coverage and similar T1 quantification, at the expense of longer acquisition time. 

View Presentation Video

Chenchen Hua¹, Yi Zhuang², Leting Zhou¹, Lu Qiu², Ting Cai¹, Bin Xu¹, Shaowei Hao³, Liang Wang¹, and Haoxiang Jiang^2
1The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China, ²The Affiliated Wuxi Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China, ³Siemens Healthineers Digital Technology(Shanghai) CO.,Ltd., Nanjing, China

Keywords: Kidney, Quantitative Imaging, T1mapping

T1 mapping is a quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that can reflect the extent of tissue fibrosis. Classical inversion recovery (IR) method can measure the T1 value with high accuracy, but it has long acquisition times. Therefore, the variable flip angle(VFA) method and the modified look‑locker inversion recovery method (MOLLI) are more frequently used in practical clinical applications. The objectives of this study was to compare the two rapid T1mapping imaging methods and to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of T1 values measured by the two methods in differentiating the degree of renal interstitial fibrosis(IF).

View Presentation Video

Keywords: Kidney, Kidney, MOLLI, T1 MAPPING

A recent consensus recommends MOLLI-type methods for T₁-mapping in the kidney, but these are slow due to the need for full relaxation between inversions. Acceleration can be easily achieved on routine MOLLI-sequences by repeating preparation pulses before complete relaxation, but this requires more accurate signal modelling. Here we propose a broadly applicable model-based approach which inverts a signal model built on Bloch simulations of magnetisation propagation. The method is validated on phantom data and a two-centre cohort of 50 patients with diabetic kidney disease.      

View Presentation Video

Hao Li^1,2, Andrew Nicholas Priest^2,3, Ines Horvat Menih ², Anne Y Warren⁴, Sarah J Welsh⁵, Grant D Stewart⁶, Iosif A Mendichovszky³, Susan Francis⁷, and Ferdia A Gallagher^2
1The Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, ²Department of Radiology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, ³Department of Radiology, CUH NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom, ⁴Department of Histopathology, CUH NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom, ⁵Department of Oncology, CUH NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom, ⁶Department of Surgery, CUH NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom, ⁷Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

Keywords: Kidney, Quantitative Imaging

We developed a highly accelerated multi-echo spin-echo (MESE) method based on echo merging and k-t undersampling with reduced flip angles (TEMPURA), which can be used to either reduce the acquisition time or increase spatial resolution for multi-slice kidney T₂ mapping. Compared with a standardized respiratory-gated MESE sequence, fast TEMPURA reduced the acquisition time from 3–5 minutes to one breath-hold (18 s) without degrading measurement accuracy or image quality. It also outperformed using k-t undersampling alone. High-resolution TEMPURA reduced the pixel size from 3×3 mm² to 1×1 mm² and greatly improved the visualization of detailed structures.

View Presentation Video

Xiaoxi Liu¹, Ying-Chieh Lai^1,2, Shiang-Cheng Kung³, Meyeon Park³, Lazik Zoltan⁴, Peder E.Z. Larson¹, and Zhen J. Wang^1
1Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States, ²Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Tainwan, Taiwan, ³Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States, ⁴Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States

Keywords: Kidney, Hyperpolarized MR (Non-Gas)

We present our initial experience of applying hyperpolarized (HP) [1-¹³C]pyruvate MRI in three patients with renal allograft. The pyruvate metabolism to lactate and bicarbonate in two patients with well functioning allografts and normal biopsy was in the range of healthy native kidneys. The allograft pyruvate metabolism in the third patient with reduced eGFR was higher than that of healthy native kidneys. Study is ongoing to establish the range of pyruvate metabolism in normal allografts and to correlate pyruvate metabolism to allograft biopsy. This study paves the way for investigation of HP MRI in the noninvasive assessment of kidney allograft injury.

View Presentation Video

Zihan Ning¹, Zhensen Chen², Shuo Chen¹, Hualu Han¹, Long Zhao³, Rui Wang⁴, Dongyue Si¹, Huiyu Qiao¹, Rui Shen¹, and Xihai Zhao^1
1Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, ²Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, ³Department of Radiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Beijing, China, ⁴Department of Radiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China

Keywords: Kidney, Perfusion, renal perfusion

We performed a series of optimization on the encoding scheme, pseudo-continuous ASL (pCASL) parameters, and post-processing of time-encoded pCASL (te-pCASL), then proposed Time-encoded Arterial Spin labeling to cover the whole Kidneys (TASK) to achieve multiple time-points renal perfusion measurement efficiently. With G_ave of 0.4-0.6 mT/m and G_max/G_ave around 10, Walsh-Hadamard encoding scheme, and retrospective registration, TASK was able to provide accurate and reproducible RBF and ATT measurement covering the whole kidneys with single 5-min scan.

Pottumarthi V Prasad¹, Lu-Ping Li¹, Bradley Hack¹, Nondas Leloudas¹, and Stuart Sprague^1
1NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, United States

Keywords: Kidney, Oxygenation

Kidney BOLD MRI measurements are not specific to oxygen availability especially when comparing different cohorts because R2* also depends on fractional blood volume (fBV) and hematocrit (Hct).  In this study, we have estimated fBV using ferumoxytol and Hct by blood sampling.  Using these we show Quantitative BOLD MRI can characterize oxygen availability in quantitative terms.  For the first time, we show that kidney cortex is normoxemic in healthy controls while moderately hypoxemic in CKD.  Medulla is mildly hypoxemic in controls while moderately hypoxemic in CKD.

View Presentation Video

Rebeca Echeverria-Chasco^1,2, Paloma L. Martin-Moreno^2,3, Nuria Garcia-Fernandez^2,3, Marta Vidorreta⁴, Leyre Garcia-Ruiz¹, Anne Oyarzun⁵, Arantxa Villanueva Larre^2,5,6, Gorka Bastarrika^1,2, and Maria A. Fernández-Seara^1,2
1Radiology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, ²IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, ³Nephrology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, ⁴Siemens Healthcare, Madrid, Spain, ⁵Electrical Electronics and Communications Engineering, Public University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain, ⁶ISC, Institute of Smart Cities, Pamplona, Spain

Keywords: Kidney, Transplantation

A multiparametric MRI protocol (perfusion, diffusion and T1) was employed to assess longitudinally the kidney allograft at different time points after the transplatation (first week, 3rd month and one year after the surgery) in a 3T system. Patients were divided into stable and unstable function according to their evolution. 

Results showed that  GFR and RBF increased for patients with stable function and decreased for patients with unstable function, showing significant differences between groups at Exam 3.

In conclusion, multiparametric MRI can help to assess the allograft longitudinally and has the potential to predict allograft dysfunction when ASL measurements  are included.

View Presentation Video

Xinyu Tong¹, Huilin He², Zihan Ning³, Rui Shen³, Zuoxiang He¹, Xihai Zhao³, and Dong Xu^2
1School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, ²Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China, ³Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Keywords: Kidney, Kidney, systemic sclerosis

Renal microstructure and functional impairment in systemic sclerosis were characterized using multi-parametric quantitative MR imaging including SAMURAI, DWI and BOLD sequences. The mean values of T1, RBF, aBAT, tBAT, ADC, T2* in renal cortex and volume of renal parenchyma were quantified. Compared to healthy volunteers, patients with systemic sclerosis had significantly lower mean RBF values in both sides of renal cortex. This study revealed that decline of RBF in systemic sclerosis may indicate the pathology of microvascular impairment of renal tissues.

View Presentation Video

Anna Caroli¹, Giulia Villa¹, Erica Daina², Paolo Brambilla³, Sara Gamba², Valentina Fanny Leone⁴, Camillo Carrara⁴, Paola Rizzo⁵, Marina Noris², Giuseppe Remuzzi⁶, and Andrea Remuzzi^7
1Bioengineering Department, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Ranica (BG), Italy, ²Department of rare diseases, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Ranica (BG), Italy, ³Unit of Radiology, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy, ⁴Unit of Nephrology and Dialysis, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy, ⁵Department of Molecular Medicine, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy, ⁶Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy, ⁷University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy

Keywords: Kidney, Quantitative Imaging

This study investigates the correlation between MRI and histologic and clinical findings in 7 patients with C3 glomerulopathy and immune complex–associated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, rare diseases denoted by poor prognosis and no specific therapies. Patients underwent repeated kidney MRI, biopsy, and laboratory testing. Kidney diffusivity and perfusion were assessed by diffusion-weighted and phase-contrast MRI. Laboratory and MRI parameters changed very differently from case to case over 1 year. Perfusion biomarkers significantly correlated with histological and clinical findings. Both perfusion and diffusion biomarkers correlated with the clinical evolution of the disease. Current findings highlight MRI potential to monitor kidney disease progression.

View Presentation Video

Surendra Maharjan¹, Abigail Wallace¹, Megan Renate Jewett¹, Neal X Chen², and Nian Wang^1,3
1Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States, ²Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States, ³Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis, IN, United States

Keywords: Kidney, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Tractography

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been widely used to study renal microstructure. However, DTI-based tractography failed to track tubules throughout the kidney. Here, we aim to determine whether high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) could improve the tractography in the complicated tubular architectures of rodent kidney.

View Presentation Video

Yu-wei Hao¹, Hui-yi Ye¹, and Hai-yi Wang^1
1Department of Radiology, the first Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China

Keywords: Kidney, Tumor, Small renal masses; Clear cell likelihood score; Clear cell renal cell carcinoma

ccLS provides a new tool for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of solid renal tumors and can be used to assist radiologists in their daily diagnosis. In this study, Six radiologists were trained in the ccLS algorithm and scored independently using ccLS v1.0 and ccLS v2.0, respectively. The results show that although the interobserver agreement between ccLS v1.0 and ccLS v2.0 is comparable, the diagnostic performance of ccLS v2.0 in ccRCC is better than that of ccLS v1.0 and ccLS v2.0 reduces the percentage of ccRCC in 1-3 scores. This finding is helpful to improve the clinical universality of ccLS.