Brief Article
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 28, 2014; 20(8): 2107-2112
Published online Feb 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i8.2107
3.0T 31P MR spectroscopy in assessment of response to antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C
Chun-Yu Zhang, Qian Zhang, Hui-Mao Zhang, Hai-Shan Yang
Chun-Yu Zhang, Hai-Shan Yang, Department of Radiology, China-Japan Union Hospital Affiliated to Jilin University, Changchun 130033, Jilin Province, China
Qian Zhang, Department of Digestive Medicine, China-Japan Union Hospital Affiliated to Jilin University, Changchun 130033, Jilin Province, China
Hui-Mao Zhang, Department of Radiology, First Hospital Affiliated to Jilin University, Changchun 130033, Jilin Province, China
Author contributions: Zhang Q and Zhang CY contributed equally to this work; Yang HS contributed to the conception and design of this study; Zhang Q and Zhang CY collected, analyzed and interpreted the data, drafted the manuscript; and Zhang HM critically revised the content of the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Hai-Shan Yang, MD, Department of Radiology, China-Japan Union Hospital Affiliated to Jilin University, 126 Xiantai BLVD, Changchun 130033, Jilin Province, China. haishanyang@163.com
Telephone: +86-431-83995968 Fax: +86-431-84641986
Received: September 15, 2013
Revised: December 15, 2013
Accepted: January 3, 2014
Published online: February 28, 2014
Processing time: 163 Days and 19.9 Hours
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the utility of phosphorus-31 (31P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) as a noninvasive test for assessment of response to interferon and ribavirin treatment in patients with different severities of hepatitis C virus infection.

METHODS: Sixty chronic hepatitis C patients undergoing antiviral therapy with interferon and ribavirin underwent 31P MRS at 3.0T before treatment, 6 mo after the start of treatment, and 1 year after the start of treatment.

RESULTS: The phosphomonoester (PME)/phosphodiester (PDE) ratio at 6 mo after the start of antiviral therapy in the Child-Pugh B and C groups were significantly higher than those before therapy, but this was not seen in the Child-Pugh A group. In the antiviral therapy group, the PME/PDE ratios had decreased on follow-up MR spectroscopy. However, in the virological nonresponder group, the PME/PDE ratios on follow-up imaging were similar to the baseline values.

CONCLUSION: 31P MRS can be used to provide biochemical information on hepatic metabolic processes. This study indicates that the PME/PDE ratio can be used as an indicator of response to antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Keywords: 31P; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Hepatitis C; Antiviral therapy

Core tip: This study assessed the value of 3.0T 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a noninvasive technique, in testing response to antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C. The technique can provide biochemical information on hepatic metabolic processes. The phosphomonoester/phosphodiester ratio can be used as an indicator of response to antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients.