Evaluation of the contribution of quantitative magnetic resonance measurements to diagnosis in patients with pancreatitis

Aim: The aim of the study is to quantitatively evaluate the changes in T1 mappingbefore and after contrast, ADC, extracellular volume (ECV) measurement, anthropometric measurements and blood parameters in patients with pancreatitis. Material and Method: A dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to 44 patients with clinical and laboratory diagnosis of pancreatitis and 44 healthy control subjects between September 2022 and March 2023 at 3T MRI device (Magnetom Skyra, Siemens Healthcare, Germany). Before MR imaging blood hematocrit, serum AST, ALT, GGT, amylase, lipase and anthropometric measurements were recorded in all subjects. The diameter of the pancreatic head, body and tail were measured in both groups. T1 mapping and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) were performed before and after intravenous contrast material. T1 mapping images were acquired using the Look-Locker sequence technique. In these images, quantitative measurements were obtained from the head, body and tail of the organ with using a 15 mm ROI. The mean values of these measurements were found and ECV measurements were performed with these quantitative values. The data obtained before imaging and quantitative MRI measurements were compared between two groups. Results: In this study, 44 patients with pancreatitis and 44 healthy sbjectswere evaluated. Of these 88 people, 34 (38,6%) were female and 54 (61,4%) were male. In the study, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of age, height, weight, blood hematocrit values, pancreatic size measurements, ADC and ECV measurements (p>0.05). A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in amylase, lipase, AST, ALT, GGT, pre-contrast T1 mapping, pre-contrast MOCO T1 mapping, post-contrast T1 mapping and post-contrast MOCO T1 mapping data (p<0.05). Conclusion: Because MRI allows multiparametric evaluation, it is a method used to evaluate differences between tissues. Early detection of extracellular changes in tissues with T1 mapping, which can be taken before and after contrast agent injection, will make an additional contribution to the diagnosis. Keywords: Pancreatitis, multiparametric MRI, T1 Mapping, ECV