Utility of dual-energy CT and advanced multiparametric MRI based imaging biomarkers of pancreatic fibrosis in grading the severity of chronic pancreatitis

To non-invasively quantify pancreatic fibrosis and grade severity of chronic pancreatitis (CP) on dual-energy CT (DECT) and multiparametric MRI (mpMRI).

We included 72 patients (mean age:30years; 59 men) with suspected or confirmed CP from December 2019 to December 2021 graded as equivocal(n = 20), mild(n = 18), and moderate-marked(n = 34) using composite imaging and endoscopic ultrasound criteria. Study patients underwent multiphasic DECT and mpMRI of the abdomen. Normalized iodine concentration(NIC) and fat fraction(FF) on 6-minute delayed DECT, and T1 relaxation time(T1Rt), extracellular volume fraction(ECVf), intravoxel incoherent motion-based perfusion fraction(PF), and magnetization transfer ratio(MTR) on mpMRI of pancreas were compared. 20 renal donors(for DECT) and 20 patients with renal mass(for mpMRI) served as controls.

NIC of pancreas in controls and progressive grades of CP were 0.24 ± 0.05, 0.80 ± 0.18, 1.06 ± 0.23, 1.40 ± 0.36, FF were 9.28 ± 5.89, 14.19 ± 5.29, 17.31 ± 5.99, 29.32 ± 12.22, T1Rt were 590.11 ± 61.13, 801.93 ± 211.01, 1006.79 ± 352.18, 1388.01 ± 312.23ms, ECVf were 0.07 ± 0.03, 0.30 ± 0.12, 0.41 ± 0.12, 0.53 ± 0.13, PF were 0.38 ± 0.04, 0.28 ± 0.07, 0.25 ± 0.09, 0.21 ± 0.05 and MTR were 0.12 ± 0.03, 0.15 ± 0.06, 0.21 ± 0.07, 0.26 ± 0.06, respectively. There were significant differences for all quantitative parameters between controls and mild CP; for NIC, PF, and ECVf between controls and progressive CP grades (p < 0.05). Area under curve for NIC, FF, T1Rt, ECVf, PF, and MTR in differentiating controls and mild CP were 1.00, 0.86, 0.95, 1.00, 0.90 and 0.84 respectively and for NIC, FF, ECVf and PF in differentiating controls and equivocal CP were 1.00, 0.76, 0.95 and 0.92 respectively.

DECT and mpMRI were useful in quantifying pancreatic fibrosis and grading the severity of CP. NIC was the most accurate marker.