Background: Recently a small cohort study demonstrated that intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion MRI can detect early stage liver fibrosis. Using modified IVIM data acquisition parameters, the current study aims to confirm this finding. Methods: Twenty-six healthy volunteers, three patients of chronic viral hepatitis-b but without fibrosis and one mild liver steatosis subject, and 12 viral hepatitis-b patients with fibrosis (stage 1-2=7, stage 3-4=5) were included in this study. With a 1.5-T MR scanner and respiration-gating, IVIM diffusion imaging was acquired using a single-shot echo-planar sequence with a b-value series of 2, 0

Background: Recent two studies reported that intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) analysis can separate healthy livers and viral hepatitis B (VHB) induced liver fibrosis. However, in these two studies the starting b value for bi-exponential decay analysis was b =10 and 15 s/mm 2 respectively. The current study has two primary aims. The first is to further confirm the diagnostic value of IVIM in detecting liver fibrosis. The second is to test whether by sampling very low b value densely, then b =0 s/mm 2 image could be included to improve IVIM's diagnostic performance.

The aim of this study was to establish reference values for middle‐aged subjects and to investigate the age and gender dependence of liver diffusion MRI parameters. The IVIM type of liver diffusion scan was based on a single‐shot spin‐echo–type echo‐planar sequence using a 1.5 T magnet with 16 b‐values. Diffusion‐derived vessel density (DDVD)(b0b2) or DDVD(b0b10) was the signal difference between b = 0 and b = 2 (or b = 10) s/mm2 images after removing visible vessels. IVIM analysis was performed with full fitting and segmented fitting, and with a threshold b‐value of 60 or 200 s/mm2, and fitting started from b = 2 s/mm2. Thirty‐one men (age range: 25‐71 years) and 26 men (age: 22‐69 years) had DDVD and IVIM analysis, respectively, while 37 women (age: 20‐71 years) and 36 women (age: 20‐71 years) had DDVD and IVIM analysis, respectively. DDVD results showed a significant age‐related reduction for women. IVIM results for full fitting showed excellent agreement with those for segmented fitting using a threshold b of 60 s/mm2, but this was less good for results with a threshold b of 200 s/mm2. As age increased, female subjects' Dslow measure showed a significant reduction, while their PF and Dfast measures showed a significant increase. For the age group of 40‐55 years, DDVD(b0b2), DDVD(b0b10), Dslow, PF and Dfast were 12.26 ± 3.90 au/pixel, 16.95 ± 5.45 au/pixel, 1.072 ± 0.067 (10−3 mm2/s), 0.141 ± 0.025 and 61.0 ± 14.0 (10−3 mm2/s) for men, and 13.35 ± 3.6 au/pixel, 17.20 ± 3.62 au/pixel, 1.069 ± 0.074 (10−3 mm2/s), 0.119 ± 0.014 and 57.1 ± 13.2 (10−3 mm2/s) for women, respectively. DDVD measure of this study suggest that aging is associated with a reduction in liver perfusion. There is a possibility that a lower Dslow measure is associated with artificially higher PF and Dfast measures, and that IVIM modeling of the perfusion component is constrained by the diffusion component.

Despite years' research, the radiographic criteria for osteoporotic vertebral fracture and its grading remain debated. The importance of identifying vertebral endplate/cortex fracture (ECF) is being recognised; however, evaluation of osteoporotic ECF requires training and experience. This article aims to serve as a teaching material for radiologists/physicians or researchers to evaluate osteoporotic ECF. Emphasis is particularly dedicated to identifying ECF that may not be associated with apparent vertebral body collapse. We suggest a combined approach based on standardised radiologic evaluation by experts and morphometry measurement is the most appropriate approach to detect and classify osteoporotic vertebral fractures.The translational potentialA good understanding of radiologic anatomy of vertebrae and fracture signs of endplate/cortex are essential for spine fragility fracture assessment.