WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#CardiacDisease--Nature Medicine today published a study showing that Perspectum’s iron corrected T1, or cT1, predicts liver-related and cardiac outcomes, including morbidity. Liver disease is a modifiable cardiac risk factor, and this study confirmed that it can be quantified with MRI cT1.
“The results confirm previous observations of the liver being an early warning sign for cardiac risk as well as confirming the value of cT1 as a measure of liver related health,” said co-author, Andrea Dennis, Ph.D. “The American Heart Association recently highlighted the importance of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) awareness, which is often undiagnosed, as a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,” Andrea Dennis said further. She followed, “This study provides a strong rationale for the use of multi-organ MRI to stratify at risk patients and to provide early intervention.”
The prospective study, entitled, “Cardiac and liver impairment on multi-organ MRI and associations with major adverse cardiovascular and liver events: a prospective cohort study,” utilized MRIs from 28,841 community-based individuals in UK biobank over four years to explore the associations of cardiac and liver impairment with cardiovascular and liver events, hospitalization, and mortality. Cardiac and liver impairment were assessed using quantitative MRI by reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and cT1.
“These findings show how multiparametric MRI with AI allows us to see more than with traditional, single organ, analogue tests,” said Perspectum CEO, Rajarshi Banerjee, M.D., Ph.D. “Specifically, the study shows how Perspectum’s LiverMultiScan results can predict cardiac and liver outcomes. These are the data the regulators need to move away from liver biopsy as a reference standard. Also, we can now evaluate the benefits of new metabolic treatments, like incretins, across organs in a single scan.”
Imaging biomarkers have transformed medical diagnostics over the past decade, with cardiac imaging pioneering the success story. In recent years, liver imaging biomarkers that precisely measure organ function have moved from experimental to essential in everyday clinical practice. While traditional blood tests and biopsies once dominated the diagnostic landscape, advanced imaging methods have been proven to be safer, better and more cost effective, as reported in a recent LiverMultiScan study published in Nature Communications Medicine (Shumbayawonda E., et al. 2025).
“The Hepatology community has long sought alternatives to liver biopsy in clinical trials, mirroring our shift away from biopsy-based clinical practice. cT1 from multiparametric MRI has now emerged as a leading solution to this challenge,” said Arun Sanyal, M.D., professor in the gastroenterology division of the Department of Internal Medicine at the VCU School of Medicine. Dr. Sanyal continued, “The outcomes data from this study firmly establishes cT1 as a reproducible biomarker with significant prognostic utility, demonstrating its ability to predict clinical outcomes in patients with MASLD.” He said further, “The data provides regulators critical evidence needed to satisfy their rigorous evidentiary framework for surrogate endpoint qualification, and makes a compelling case for new, non-invasive measures that can improve outcomes for patients worldwide. "
Key findings from the study include:
- Elevated cT1 (cT1 > 800ms) in the liver puts people at 30% increased risk of experiencing a heart-related hospitalization.
- Higher levels of cT1 (over 875ms) led to a 9-fold increase in risk of experiencing a serious liver related health outcome within 4 years.
- Cardiac and liver impairment together accelerated the time to a cardiovascular event by 20 months.
“The widespread adoption of cardiac imaging biomarkers has paved the way for similar approaches in other specialities, like hepatology, demonstrating how multiparametric MRI imaging can transform disease management,” said Rajarshi Banerjee, M.D., Ph.D. “Liver cT1, is now scientifically established as a non-invasive alternative for measuring liver health and, as a result, pushing old clinical guidelines to be re-evaluated and rewritten.”
About Perspectum:
Perspectum, a global medical technology company, with offices in the US and UK, delivers leading digital technologies that help clinicians provide better care for patients with chronic metabolic disease, multi-organ diseases, and cancer. With a strong focus on precision medicine using advanced imaging, our vision is to empower patients and clinicians through quantitative assessments of health enabling early detection, diagnosis, monitoring, and targeted treatment. With a diverse team of physicians, biomedical scientists, engineers, and technologists, Perspectum offers a way to manage complex health problems at scale.
About LiverMultiScan:
LiverMultiScan is a commercially available, FDA cleared software medical device (SaMD) intended for diagnosis, monitoring, and clinical management of patients with liver diseases. It is a non-invasive, non-contrast, and safe technology that assesses the liver disease activity, fat, and iron using existing MRI infrastructure and provides visually enhanced patient friendly results. Many research studies and peer reviewed publications demonstrate the clinical utility of LiverMultiScan in the diagnosis and monitoring of liver diseases such as MASH/MASLD, auto- immune hepatitis, and viral hepatitis.
About UK Biobank:
UK Biobank is a large-scale biomedical database and research resource, containing in-depth, de-identified genetic and health information from half a million UK participants. The database, which is regularly augmented with additional data, is globally accessible to approved researchers and scientists undertaking vital research into the most common and life-threatening diseases. UK Biobank’s research resource is a major contributor to the advancement of modern medicine and treatment and has enabled several scientific discoveries that improve human health.
About MASLD:
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a spectrum of liver diseases where there is excess fat in the liver (steatosis). MASLD is a growing global public health problem, fueled by the prevalence of obesity and related metabolic disorders. MASLD remains drastically underdiagnosed, often placing patients at risk for complications. Early diagnosis and intervention, including lifestyle modifications and pharmacological treatments, are crucial in managing MASLD and preventing serious liver complications.
Contacts
Nellie Wild
SVP Corporate Affairs
Perspectum, DC Office
nellie.wild@perspectum.com
