Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42433529›Full record

ArticleQuantitative imaging in medicine and surgery2026

Intra- and interobserver variability in renal multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging: T1 mapping, diffusion-weighted imaging, arterial spin labeling, blood oxygen level-dependent and renal artery flow measurements utilizing manual segmentation.

Christian Aalborg, Patrick Schjelderup, Anne Negård, Jens Kristian Dam-Jensen, Gertrud Dam-Dalgeir, Marte Leland-Try, Steffen Ringgaard, My Hanna Sofia Svensson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Christian AalborgDepartment of Nephrology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6572-6745
Patrick SchjelderupDepartment of Nephrology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8549-4940
Anne NegårdDepartment of Radiology, Akershus University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7624-5595
Jens Kristian Dam-JensenDepartment of Internal Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, Hobro, Denmark.
Gertrud Dam-DalgeirAalborg Universitetshospital, Aalborg, North Denmark, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4326-2959
Marte Leland-TryDepartment of Radiology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.
Steffen RinggaardThe MR Research Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5353-7379
My Hanna Sofia SvenssonDepartment of Nephrology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) offers non-invasive characterization of renal microstructure and function, but its clinical translation is hindered by the lack of standardized post-processing. Manual segmentation is widely used but inherently observer-dependent. This study aimed to quantify the intra- and interobserver variability in manual segmentation of a comprehensive renal mpMRI protocol in a diverse cohort of patients with biopsy-confirmed chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: Seventy-two patients scheduled for diagnostic kidney biopsy were prospectively enrolled. Participants underwent mpMRI on a 1.5-T system prior to biopsy, including kidney volume assessment, T1 mapping, T2* [blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD)], diffusion-weighted imaging [apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)], arterial spin labeling (ASL), phase-contrast renal artery flow, and T1-rho mapping. Manual segmentation of the renal cortex and medulla was performed on three representative coronal slices. Two trained independent observers (one nephrologist, one radiologist) analyzed the cohort to assess interobserver variability. One observer repeated the full analysis after a six-month washout period to assess intraobserver variability. Agreement was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman analysis. Results: Complete datasets were available for 64 patients (mean estimated glomerular filtration rate 44 mL/min/1.73 m Conclusions: Manual segmentation of renal cortex and medulla yields highly reproducible measurements for T1, T2*, ADC, renal artery flow and ASL in a mixed CKD population, supporting their validity for clinical research. However, the proportional bias in the Bland-Altmann plots for ASL and renal artery flow highlights the necessity for rigorous standardization of vessel selection and potential automation to ensure reliability across different readers.

Indexed as

interobserver agreementmultiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI)Renal magnetic resonance imaging (renal MRI)

Identifiers

PMID42433529
PMCPMC13349988

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.