Assessment of Renal Function by Multiparametric MRI

Metabolic syndrome is a collection of conditions that affect at least three of the following five criteria: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high fasting glucose levels, high triglyceride levels, and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common complication of metabolic syndrome, with an estimated prevalence of 13-40%. Early diagnosis of progressive conditions before the onset of reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or albuminuria may be of clinical benefit but is not possible at present. Furthermore, the diagnosis and quantification of CKD in the context of metabolic syndrome is challenging due to the lack of reliable diagnostic biomarkers, and the current methods may not accurately reflect kidney function in patients with metabolic syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been sparsely explored as a potential tool to assess renal perfusion, oxygenation, and fibrosis. Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) combines several different imaging techniques to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of tissue structure and function. These techniques hold promise for non-invasive assessment of kidney function, but their clinical utility is still largely experimental. Therefore, we aim to conduct an exploratory study to investigate the reliability, reproducibility as well as the validity of parameters for kidney function of multiparametric MRI as well as compare these parameters in between healthy patients and patients with metabolic syndrome.