# Real Time Evaluation of Whole Organ Perfusion by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Ex Vivo Machine‐Perfused Liver

## TL;DR

Researchers used MRI to study blood flow in pig livers during machine perfusion, offering new ways to assess organ health and drug delivery.

## Contribution

The study introduces an MRI-compatible system for real-time, high-resolution evaluation of ex vivo liver perfusion and vascular morphology.

## Key findings

- MRI enabled dynamic measurement of tissue perfusion and generation of gadolinium enhancement curves and ADC maps.
- Vascular segmentation down to 0.45 mm resolution allowed quantification of morphological features like vessel tortuosity.
- Perfused livers showed superior preservation compared to static cold storage controls.

## Abstract

Machine perfusion is an emerging technique in organ preservation and transplantation, with broader potential for studying disease mechanisms and testing novel therapeutics. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers non‐invasive, quantitative assessment of tissue perfusion and microstructure. This study demonstrates the feasibility of acquiring high‐resolution MRI sequences from porcine livers undergoing ex vivo perfusion using a custom MRI‐compatible rig. Seven porcine livers were retrieved from the abattoir and perfused with oxygenated autologous blood inside a 3 T clinical MRI scanner. MRI sequences acquired included T2‐weighted imaging, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and Dynamic Contrast Enhanced (DCE) imaging following gadolinium injection into the portal vein and hepatic artery. Histological assessment was performed to evaluate preservation injury, with comparison to static cold storage (SCS) controls. MRI during perfusion enabled dynamic measurement of tissue perfusion, including generation of gadolinium enhancement curves and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. Vascular segmentation down to 0.45 mm resolution allowed quantification of morphological features such as vessel tortuosity. Histological analysis demonstrated superior preservation in perfused livers compared to SCS. This platform enables detailed, quantitative evaluation of vascular morphology and flow in whole organs, with translational relevance for modelling vascular disease and evaluating targeted drug‐delivery strategies.

Porcine livers underwent mechanical perfusion inside an MRI scanner, enabling dynamic quantitative measurements of whole organ perfusion. Vascular segmentation down to 0.45 mm resolution allowed quantification of morphological features such as vessel tortuosity, while Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI and diffusion weighted imaging was used to produce gadolinium enhancement curves and apparent diffusion coefficient maps. This platform enables detailed, quantitative evaluation of vascular morphology and flow in whole organs, with translational relevance for modelling vascular disease and evaluating targeted drug‐delivery strategies.