Clinical Implementation of 4D Phase Contrast MRA during Beta-Blocker Challenge

The PI of this project was:

This project was funded by: NIH

The term of this project was: April 2015 to December 2017

The number of subjects scanned during this project was: 10

The overall goal of this research is to develop a comprehensive, non-invasive method to quantify blood flow to the liver in patients with portal hypertension, using novel “4D” flow phase velocity magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The specific aim of this pilot research is to compare changes in portal and splanchnic blood flow with changes in hepatic vein pressure gradient (HVPG), elicited by a test dose of beta-blocker, in patients with portal hypertension. This aim will demonstrate the potential utility of MRI to assess treatment response.