Features of acute liver congestion on gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI in a rat model: Role of organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1A1

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the features of hepatic congestion on gadoxetate disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the mechanisms responsible for the radiological findings in a rat model of partial liver congestion. Materials and Methods A conventional T1-weighted spin-echo sequence of the liver was performed using a 1.5T magnetic resonance imager with an 80-mm magnetic aperture for animal studies. We induced regional congestion using partial left lateral hepatic vein ligation (n = 5) and evaluated the following in both congestive liver (CL) and noncongestive liver (non-CL): 1) chronological changes in the relative enhancement (RE) up to 60 minutes after Gd-EOB-DTPA administration, and 2) mRNA and protein expression of rat organic anion transporting protein 1a1 (Oatp1a1). Results The RE in the CL reached a small peak (18%) at 5 minutes, corresponding to approximately half of the value observed in the non-CL, then slowly decreased in a linear manner thereafter. The degree of RE in the CL was significantly lower than that in the non-CL for up to 30 minutes (P < 0.05). An immunohistological examination showed that Oatp1a1 protein expression was downregulated in the CL. The mRNA level of Oatp1a1 in the CL was significantly upregulated, compared with that in control rat liver (P = 0.046), whereas no significant difference was observed between the CL and the non-CL (P = 0.698). Conclusion The reduced signal intensity in the CL on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI could be explained by the decreased uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA via Oatp1a1 protein in the congestive area. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:828-836.