Multiparametric Renal Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Validation, Interventions, and Alterations in Chronic Kidney Disease

This paper outlines a multiparametric renal MRI acquisition and analysis protocol to allow non-invasive assessment of hemodynamics (renal artery blood flow and perfusion), oxygenation (BOLD T ), and microstructure (diffusion, T mapping). We use our multiparametric renal MRI protocol to provide (1) a comprehensive set of MRI parameters [renal artery and vein blood flow, perfusion, T , T , diffusion (ADC, D, D , f ), and total kidney volume] in a large cohort of healthy participants (127 participants with mean age of 41 ± 19 years) and show the MR field strength (1.5 T vs. 3 T) dependence of T and T relaxation times; (2) the repeatability of multiparametric MRI measures in 11 healthy participants; (3) changes in MRI measures in response to hypercapnic and hyperoxic modulations in six healthy participants; and (4) pilot data showing the application of the multiparametric protocol in 11 patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Baseline measures were in-line with literature values, and as expected, T -values were longer at 3 T compared with 1.5 T, with increased T corticomedullary differentiation at 3 T. Conversely, T was longer at 1.5 T. Inter-scan coefficients of variation (CoVs) of T mapping and ADC were very good at