Quantitative Evaluation of Hepatic Microvascular Perfusion after Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury in Rabbits by Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Perfusion Imaging

Publication date: Available online 22 February 2018
Source:Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
Author(s): Fang Xie, Xiang Fei, Ming-Bo Zhang, Yan Zhang, Hong-Wei Wang, Jie Tang, Wen-Bo Tang, Yu-Kun Luo
The aim of this study was to evaluate microvascular perfusion after liver ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) in rabbits using the "flash-replenishment" method of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) perfusion imaging. Twenty-eight rabbits underwent either 30, 60 or 90 min of ischemia and 120 min of reperfusion. CEUS perfusion imaging was performed using the "flash-replenishment" model, and hepatic microvascular perfusion parameters, including peak intensity (PI), area under the curve (AUC), and hepatic artery-to-vein transit time (HA-HVTT), were calculated. Prolonged ischemia upregulated intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels. Longer ischemia decreased PI and AUC, but increased HA-HVTT. The perfusion parameters were significantly correlated with Suzuki's pathology scores and ALT and AST levels. The "flash-replenishment" method of CEUS perfusion imaging is an accurate and non-invasive method for evaluating hepatic microvascular perfusion and provides a valuable experimental basis for early prediction of liver IRI damage after liver transplantation or liver resection.



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