Aim
Kidney fibrosis is casually linked with the progression of kidney disease to end-stage disease. Early detection and continuous assessment are warranted for development, initiation, and follow-up of anti-fibrotic drugs. In this study, we aim to understand if a metabolic MRI technology, hyperpolarized MRI, can detect the early metabolic changes that follow development of fibrosis, ultimately allowing detection of the early stages of fibrosis. We will obtain tissue from nephrectomies for biochemical analysis of metabolism. The results will be compared to MRI scans and biopsies from animal models of kidney fibrosis. We expect the project to elucidate the translational potential of metabolic MRI in kidney fibrosis.

Collaboration
The project is a collaboration between The MR Research Center, Aarhus University, and The Department of Urology, Aarhus University Hospital.

Contact
The MR Research Center: Nikolaj Bøgh, nikolaj.boegh@clin.au.dk
Department of Urology: Anna Krarup Keller, anna.keller@clin.au.dk.