ABSTRACT
Purpose Changes of hepatic perfusion and volume of normal adults living at different altitudes are investigated with hepatic perfusion imaging using multi-slice spiral CT to explore the perfusion status of normal human liver in hypoxia condition, and to provide the basis for the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases. Materials and Methods Sixty volunteers were divided into three groups according to altitude:22 cases in group A with altitude from 2260 to 3100 meters, 20 cases in group B with altitude from 3260 to 4100 meters, and 18 cases in group C with altitude from 4260 to 5260 meters, time-density curves within the ROI was drawn with hepatic hilar region as the center, and hepatic artery perfusion (HAP), portal vein perfusion (PVP), total hepatic perfusion (TLP), hepatic arterial perfusion index (HPI) were calculated using deconvolution method;and point circle method was used to measure the volume of liver manually. Results HAP of group A, B, C were (10.50±3.62) ml/(100 ml · min), (15.03±4.27) ml/(100 ml · min) and (18.39±7.20) ml/(100 ml · min) respectively, and there was significant difference between group A and group C (P<0.05);PVP of three groups were (138.78±14.29) ml/(100 ml · min), (80.42±16.80) ml/(100 ml · min), and (63.78±7.79) ml/(100 ml · min) respectively, signiifcant differences (P<0.05) can be detected for the comparison between each two of them; TLP of the three groups were (149.30±15.55) ml/(100 ml · min), (95.57±18.75) ml/(100 ml · min) and (82.19±10.56) ml/(100 ml · min) respectively, statistically signiifcant differences (P<0.05) can also be found for the comparison between each two of them. HPI of the three groups were 7.00±2.17, 16.27±4.22 and 22.05±7.90 respectively, statistically signiifcant differences (P<0.05) were observed for the comparison between each two of them;liver volume of the three groups were (1173.5±155.2) cm3, (1282.9±362.2) cm3 and (1525.4±352.2) cm3, difference between group A and group C was statistically signiifcant (P<0.05). Conclusion Liver perfusion can be affected by altitude, with the altitude increasing, HAP and HPI will also raise gradually, while PVP and TLP will decrease accordingly, indicating that hypoxia environment due to high altitude will do certain damage on the liver. MSCT perfusion imaging is able to relfect the hemodynamic changes of liver, thus is useful in clinical diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases.