Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in evaluating the severity of gastroesophageal varices (GOV) in patients with chronic B cirrhosis. Methods A total of 88 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis complicated with GOV were admitted to our hospital between June 2014 and June 2020, and all patients underwent gastroscopy for the GOV severity and color Doppler ultrasonography for the measurement of portal vein diameter (PVD), splenic vein diameter (SVD), spleen diameter (SD), and spleen thickness (ST). The severity of GOV in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis was evaluated by DCE-MRI.Results We found 28 cases of moderate and severe, and 60 cases of mild GOV by gastroscopy in our series; serum albumin level in patients with moderate/severe GOV was (36.0±3.8)g/L, much lower than [(40.1±3.7)g/L, P＜0.05] in those with mild GOV; the white blood cell count was (3.4±0.5)×10⁹/L, and the platelet count was (69.5±7.3)×10⁹/L, both significantly lower than [(4.2±0.3)×10⁹/L and (103.3±16.4)×10⁹/L, respectively, P＜0.05] in patients with mild GOV; the PVD was (15.4±2.0)mm, the SVD was (11.2±2.1)mm, the SD was (155.9±29.8)mm, and the ST was (53.2±9.8)mm, all significantly greater than those in patients with mild GOV [(14.3±2.1)mm, (10.0±2.6)mm, (140.6±30.6)mm, and(47.6±10.1)mm, respectively, P＜0.05]; the percentages of grade 2 and grade 3 GOV determined by DCE-MRI in 28 moderate/severe GOV by gastroscopy were 42.9% and 50.0%, significantly higher than 11.7% and 0.0%(P＜0.05) in those with mild GOV; the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, positive predicting value and negative predicting value in evaluating the severity of GOV by DCE-MRI were 88.3% (53/60), 92.9% (26/28), 89.8% (79/88), 96.4% and 78.8%, respectively.Conclusion The application of DCE-MRI in diagnosing GOV in patients with liver cirrhosis is feasible and promising, which needs further investigation.

Key words: Liver cirrhosis, Gastroesophageal varices, Dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, Diagnosis