Time course and mechanism of alterations in proton relaxation during liver regeneration in the rat.

We studied the proton T1 and T2, water and lipid content of regenerating rat liver from 1 to 7 days after 70% hepatectomy. Liver from normal and sham-operated animals and splenic tissue from all animals were studied as controls. In vivo proton spectroscopy and imaging of liver was performed in a separate group of control and posthepatectomy rats. The T2 of regenerating liver, but not of sham or normal control liver, was prolonged. Changes in T1, relative to normal tissue, were found in liver and spleen of both operated groups. Lipid content, assessed both by extraction of tissue samples and by in vivo spectroscopy, was increased in regenerating tissue but not in controls. Water content was similarly increased in regenerating liver tissue. Changes in water and lipid content appeared to contribute to the alterations in proton relaxation which we observed.