Photo Credit: Angelp

A composite biomarker approach that uses multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) and serum liver tests could enhance monitoring of liver grafts and reduce the need for biopsies in patients with a liver transplant, according to results published in Liver Transplantation. Elizabeth Shumbayawonda, PhD-candidate, and colleagues performed both mpMRI and biopsies in a multicenter prospective study with 131 liver transplant recipients. Histological assessments for T-cell–mediated rejection was evaluated by two expert pathologists. Results showed that 38% of patients had no rejection, while 62% had either indeterminate (21%) or T-cell–mediated (41%) rejection. The combination of mpMRI and serum tests achieved diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve, 0.7; negative predictive value, 0.8) for identifying patients without rejection. “Combining both imaging and serum biomarkers into a composite biomarker (imaging and serum biomarkers) has the potential to …identify those most likely to benefit from a non-invasive diagnostic approach, reducing the need for liver biopsy,” Dr. Shumbayawonda and colleagues wrote.