Assessment of the diffusion-weighted imaging for the pathology and renal function in IgA nephropathy / 天津医药

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the correlation between the diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) measurements and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), Katafuchi scores in IgA nephropathy. Methods Thirty-five patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN group) and twenty healthy volunteers (control group) were enrolled in this study. All of the subjects underwent bilateral renal DWI measurements with 3.0T MRI scanner. The values of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of renal cortex and medulla were measured. GFR of IgAN group was detected with 99Tcm-DTPA scintigraphy. Based on the Lee classification and the Katafuchi score system, the pathological grading was carried out in patients of IgAN group. The ADC values were compared between control group and different grades of IgAN group. The correlations between ADC and GFR values were analysed in defferent groups. The correlations between ADC values and Katafuchi scores were analysed in IgAN group. Results The renal cortical ADC values were significantly higher than medulla ADC values in both control group and IgAN group (P 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the renal cortical and medulla ADC values and the GFR values in IgAN group (P medulla ADC values and the Katafuchi scores in IgAN group (P<0.05). Conclusion The diffusion-weighted imaging can reflect the physiological functions of kidney. It was feasible for application DWI in IgA nephropathy, which can be used for assessing the renal filtration function and the pathological damage. However, DWI measurement is not sensitive to early renal disease.