Science to Practice: Can Diffusion-weighted MR Imaging Findings Be Used as Biomarkers to Monitor the Progression of Renal Fibrosis?

In an experimental murine model of unilateral ureteral obstruction, Togao et al (1) demonstrated that diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can depict and enable monitoring of abnormal changes in the progression of renal fibrosis; because these microstructural changes are complex and multifactorial, future studies focused on their specificity should be performed before they are applied in clinical trials.