Contrast-enhanced CT measurements of fractional extracellular space and macromolecular contrast material uptake may be useful semiquantitative markers of liver fibrosis and could enable noninvasive... PurposeTo evaluate the feasibility of using contrast material–enhanced computed tomographic (CT) measurements of hepatic fractional extracellular space (fECS) and macromolecular contrast material (...

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine whether contrast-enhanced CT quantification of the hepatic fractional extracellular space (ECS) correlates with the severity of diffuse liver disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The cases of 70 patients without (46 men, 24 women; mean age, 59.1 years) and 36 patients with (23 men, 13 women; mean age, 63.1 years) cirrhosis who had undergone unenhanced and 10-minute delayed phase contrast-enhanced CT were retrospectively identified. By consensus one experienced radiologist and one trainee measured the CT attenuation of the liver and aorta to estimate the fractional ECS, defined as the ratio of the difference between the attenuation of the liver on 10-minute and unenhanced images to the difference between the attenuation of the aorta on 10-minute and unenhanced images multiplied by 1 minus the hematocrit. Findings were correlated with each patient's Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. RESULTS. The mean MELD score was higher in patients with than in...