This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. While liver disease is currently ranked as the seventh leading cause of adult death in the United States, the gold standard to diagnose and monitor the progress of patients afflicted with hepatic pathologies remains limited to liver biopsy. Liver biopsies can be associated with sampling variability, poor reproducibility and major complications, rendering it essential to develop non-invasive techniques able to diagnose different liver conditions. With the advent of high performance magnetic resonance (MR) systems and advanced sequences, MRI shows potential for improved and non-invasive assessment of liver disease. Fast spin echo or single shot techniques, often combined with fat suppression, are the most common T2 weighted sequences used in liver MRI procedures. Liver MRI is highly dependent on the administration of contrast agents, especially when detection and characterization of focal lesions are the issues. Currently, there is no single MRI technique that is optimal for detecting the different liver pathologies. The objective of this project is to develop CEST and T1p MRI techniques for monitoring the progression of chronic liver diseases and liver fibrosis in human and animal models.
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