MRE-derived stiffness of the kidney in Chronic Kidney Disease: Association with estimated glomerular filtration rate and MR relaxation time

Motivation: Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) has been shown to provide a measure of organ stiffness, but its application in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is poorly understood. Goal(s): To evaluate whole kidney MRE stiffness and compare this to MR relaxometry measures of inflammation and fibrosis, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in CKD participants and healthy volunteers (HV). Approach: Spin-echo EPI MRE-derived stiffness acquired using Resoundant hardware on patients with CKD and HV. Results: Whole kidney MRE-derived stiffness was lower in CKD compared to HVs, and positively correlated with eGFR, despite an increase in renal T1 and T2 with lower eGFR reflecting increased inflammation/fibrosis. Impact: MRE stiffness of the kidneys in conjunction with other MRI parameters may provide a more comprehensive assessment of the underlying structure, function and pathology as inflammation and fibrosis increase in patients with chronic kidney disease.