Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Biliary Disease: Health Economics Study

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is the greatest unmet need in modern liver medicine. There continue to be no direct bio-markers for the diagnosis and monitoring of biliary diseases such as PSC, constituting a major barrier to drug development and to poor patient outcomes. This project aims to validate an imaging platform, enhanced Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography, MRCP+, to improve the standard of care for patients by generating the real-world evidence needed to support clinical adoption.

Biliary diseases significantly increase the likelihood of developing sclerosing cholangitis (SC), causing major morbidity and mortality. Sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic inflammatory cholestatic condition, is exemplified by the primary idiopathic autoimmune condition PSC. In the absence of effective therapies, hindered by a lack of measurable trial endpoints (bio-markers), liver transplantation is the only life-extending intervention, with PSC accounting for 15% of all European liver transplantations. Furthermore, biliary complications occur in 5-32% of all liver transplantations. MRCP+ has the potential to significantly improve the outlook for patients.

At present, diagnosis requires cholangiopancreatography, either magnetic resonance (MRCP) or endoscopic retrograde (ERCP). The current standard ERCP is expensive, invasive, and associated with a high risk of morbidity. MRCP is less invasive and cheaper. However, both result in inconsistent qualitative interpretations. MRCP+ is the first device to enable direct quantitative measurement of biliary disease and addresses both European and US Liver society (EASL and AASLD) concerns that early changes of PSC are missed by MRCP, necessitating adequate visualisation and quantitative assessment.

MRCP+ both enhances MRCP images and yields advanced quantitative biliary measures. Initial experience shows significant clinical potential. This project will provide substantive evidence for clinical adoption via a real-world study including heath economics to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and impact on the clinical care pathway.

To achieve this, 40 patients were recruited from the University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) who are attending the centre for either a review or diagnosis of PSC. The patients will follow their usual care pathway, being seen by the consultant who will document their care plan. Following this appointment, and their consent, they will be asked to undergo a non-invasive, pain-free Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan. MRCP+ reports generated from these scans will be returned to the consultant who will review the documented standard care treatment plan and ascertain whether any amendments would have been made in light of these further quantitative metrics gained from MRI.