MRI-Based Muscle Assessment Score to Predict Risks in Adults Evaluated for Liver Transplant

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to explore the relationship between muscle composition measured by an MRI-based Muscle Assessment Score MAsS and adverse outcomes in adults being evaluated for liver transplant. Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle volume and function, is common in end-stage liver disease and linked to worse outcomes, including mortality. The study also investigates how donor liver characteristics combined with recipient muscle composition relate to outcomes one year after transplant. Participants will have the MAsS added to their standard MRI scans during the liver transplant evaluation and at other clinically needed follow-up MRIs. The MAsS combines measurements of muscle volume and fat infiltration to provide a quantitative assessment of muscle health. This diagnostic approach is applied in a single group of liver transplant candidates. During the study, participants undergo MRI scans with added muscle assessment sequences. Researchers will measure the MAsS at baseline and monitor changes while waiting for transplant, linking these data to adverse outcomes within one year. The study tracks clinical outcomes, including mortality and complications, to understand risk factors better. Participation lasts up to one year, with monitoring aligned with routine clinical care and MRI scheduling.

Adverse Outcomes and Mortality in Liver Transplant