Development of a path-breaking medical imaging system that visualizes and quantifies molecular pathologies noninvasively

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20676
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90110:Biomedical engineering-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Nagao Yoshihiro 九州大学, 大学病院, 助教 (70608968)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 非アルコール性脂肪性肝炎 / 代謝機能イメージング / ミトコンドリア機能 / 非アルコール性脂肪性肝疾患

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The number of obese patients and patients with cirrhosis caused by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/hepatitis (NAFLD/NASH) is increasing. We developed a magnetic resonance metabolic imaging system (DNP-MRI system) that can accurately diagnose the pathology of NAFLD/NASH and tried to elucidate the pathological mechanism of NAFLD/NASH.
In our study, we found that the DNP-MRI system provided a good assessment of the disease progression of NAFLD/NASH. And we also found that the DNP-MRI system assessed mitochondrial function, suggesting that the DNP-MRI system may be a feasible tool for evaluating the mitochondrial function in the disease progression of AFLD/NASH.
The DNP-MRI system also assessed mitochondrial function, suggesting that mitochondria may be involved in the disease progression of NAFLD/NASH.

Free Research Field

消化器外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果として得られた酸化還元反応、しいてはミトコンドリア機能を個体・組織・細胞レベルで可視化・評価できる診断機器は、NAFLD/NASHの正確な診断が非侵襲的に行える可能性が示唆された。
この診断機器は今まで侵襲的に行ってきた肝生検に変わるNAFLD/NASHの診断法となり得、治療効果の診断や病態メカニズム解明にも有用であると考えられる。