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Li YW, Jiao Y, Chen N, Gao Q, Chen YK, Zhang YF, Wen QP, Zhang ZM. How to select the quantitative magnetic resonance technique for subjects with fatty liver: A systematic review. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:8906-8921. [PMID: 36157636 PMCID: PMC9477046 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i25.8906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early quantitative assessment of liver fat content is essential for patients with fatty liver disease. Mounting evidence has shown that magnetic resonance (MR) technique has high accuracy in the quantitative analysis of fatty liver, and is suitable for monitoring the therapeutic effect on fatty liver. However, many packaging methods and postprocessing functions have puzzled radiologists in clinical applications. Therefore, selecting a quantitative MR imaging technique for patients with fatty liver disease remains challenging.
AIM To provide information for the proper selection of commonly used quantitative MR techniques to quantify fatty liver.
METHODS We completed a systematic literature review of quantitative MR techniques for detecting fatty liver, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol. Studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, and their quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies criteria. The Reference Citation Analysis database (https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com) was used to analyze citation of articles which were included in this review.
RESULTS Forty studies were included for spectroscopy, two-point Dixon imaging, and multiple-point Dixon imaging comparing liver biopsy to other imaging methods. The advantages and disadvantages of each of the three techniques and their clinical diagnostic performances were analyzed.
CONCLUSION The proton density fat fraction derived from multiple-point Dixon imaging is a noninvasive method for accurate quantitative measurement of hepatic fat content in the diagnosis and monitoring of fatty liver progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- You-Wei Li
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100144, China
| | - Yang Jiao
- Department of Rehabilitation Psychology, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100144, China
| | - Na Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100144, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100144, China
| | - Yu-Kun Chen
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100144, China
| | - Yuan-Fang Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100144, China
| | - Qi-Ping Wen
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100144, China
| | - Zong-Ming Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Electric Power Hospital, State Grid Corporation of China, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100073, China
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Okubo K, Kitagawa Y, Hosokawa N, Umezawa M, Kamimura M, Kamiya T, Ohtani N, Soga K. Visualization of quantitative lipid distribution in mouse liver through near-infrared hyperspectral imaging. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 12:823-835. [PMID: 33680544 PMCID: PMC7901335 DOI: 10.1364/boe.413712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Lipid distribution in the liver provides crucial information for diagnosing the severity of fatty liver and fatty liver-associated liver cancer. Therefore, a noninvasive, label-free, and quantitative modality is eagerly anticipated. We report near-infrared hyperspectral imaging for the quantitative visualization of lipid content in mouse liver based on partial least square regression (PLSR) and support vector regression (SVR). Analysis results indicate that SVR with standard normal variate pretreatment outperforms PLSR by achieving better root mean square error (15.3 mg/g) and higher determination coefficient (0.97). The quantitative mapping of lipid content in the mouse liver is realized using SVR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyohei Okubo
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
| | - Yuichi Kitagawa
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
| | - Naoki Hosokawa
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
| | - Masakazu Umezawa
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
| | - Masao Kamimura
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
| | - Tomonori Kamiya
- Department of Pathophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Naoko Ohtani
- Department of Pathophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Kohei Soga
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
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Effectiveness of High-Speed T2-Corrected Multiecho MR Spectroscopic Method for Quantifying Thigh Muscle Fat Content in Boys With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2019; 212:1354-1360. [PMID: 30860898 DOI: 10.2214/ajr.18.20354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of high-speed T2-corrected multiecho (HISTO) MR spectroscopy (MRS) for rapidly quantifying the fat content of thigh muscles in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS. This study prospectively enrolled 58 boys with DMD (mean age, 7.5 years; range, 4-11 years) and 30 age-matched healthy boys (mean age, 7.2 years; range, 4-11 years) at one institution over a 1-year period. T1- and T2-weighted, multiecho Dixon, and HISTO sequences were performed on the right adductor magnus and vastus lateralis muscles. The fat fractions of these muscles were acquired from HISTO and multiecho Dixon images. An experienced radiologist graded the degree of fat infiltration of the adductor magnus and vastus lateralis muscles on axial T1-weighted images. The Bland-Altman method was used to assess the consistency and repeatability of the HISTO sequence. Pearson linear correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation coefficient relating HISTO fat fraction to multiecho Dixon fat fraction values. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to assess the relation between the HISTO fat fraction values and T1-weighted image fat infiltration grades. The independent t test was used to compare the HISTO fat fraction values of the boys with DMD with those of the healthy control subjects. RESULTS. Bland-Altman analysis showed that 95.5% of the HISTO fat fraction values of the adductor magnus were within the 95% CI. HISTO fat fraction and multiecho Dixon fat fraction values of the adductor magnus and vastus lateralis muscles were highly positively correlated (adductor magnus, r = 0.983; vastus lateralis, r = 0.967; p < 0.0001). HISTO fat fraction values were also highly positively correlated with the grades of fat infiltration on T1-weighted images (adductor magnus, r = 0.911; vastus lateralis, r = 0.937; p < 0.0001). The HISTO fat fraction of the adductor magnus muscle was 33.3% ± 22.6% and of the vastus lateralis muscle was 25.6% ± 20.3% in patients with DMD. The corresponding values were 2.9% ± 2.1% and 2.3% ± 1.9% in the control group. The differences were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION. The HISTO sequence is a rapid and feasible noninvasive MRS technique for quantifying the fat infiltration of thigh muscles in children with known or suspected DMD. It is useful for diagnosis and for assessment of disease activity and prognosis.
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Lv S, Jiang S, Liu S, Dong Q, Xin Y, Xuan S. Noninvasive Quantitative Detection Methods of Liver Fat Content in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2018; 6:217-221. [PMID: 29951367 PMCID: PMC6018305 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2018.00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ranges from simple steatosis to NAFLD-related liver cirrhosis and is a main cause of chronic liver diseases. Patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis are at a great risk of the progression to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma, both of which are tightly associated with liver-related mortality. Liver biopsy is still the gold standard for the diagnosis of NAFLD, but some defects, such as serious complications, sampling error and variability in histologic evaluation among pathologists, remain problematic. Therefore, noninvasive, repeatable and accurate diagnostic methods are urgently needed. Ultrasonography is a well-established and lower-cost imaging technique for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis, especially suitable for population census, but limited by its low sensitivity to diagnose mild steatosis and being highly operator-dependent. Computed tomography also lacks the sensitivity to detect mild steatosis and small changes in fat content, and presents a potential radiation hazard. Controlled attenuation parameter based on the FibroScan® technology is a promising tool for noninvasive semiquantitative assessment of liver fat content, but the accuracy rate depends on the operator's expertise and is affected by age, width of the intercostal space, skin capsular distance and body mass index. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy are regarded as the most accurate quantitative methods for measuring liver fat content in clinical practice, especially for longitudinal follow up of NAFLD patients. In this review, we mainly introduce the current imaging methods that are in use for evaluation of liver fat content and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujing Lv
- Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Sushan Jiang
- Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Shousheng Liu
- Digestive Disease Key Laboratory of Qingdao, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Central Laboratories, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Quanjiang Dong
- Central Laboratories, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yongning Xin
- Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Digestive Disease Key Laboratory of Qingdao, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Department of Infectious Disease, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- *Correspondence to: Shiying Xuan, Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, 1 Jiaozhou Road, Qingdao 266011, China. Tel: +86-532-88905508, Fax: +86-532-88905293, E-mail: ; Yongning Xin, Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, 1 Jiaozhou Road, Qingdao 266011, Shandong, China. Tel: +86-532-82789463, Fax: +86-532-85968434, E-mail:
| | - Shiying Xuan
- Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Digestive Disease Key Laboratory of Qingdao, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- *Correspondence to: Shiying Xuan, Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, 1 Jiaozhou Road, Qingdao 266011, China. Tel: +86-532-88905508, Fax: +86-532-88905293, E-mail: ; Yongning Xin, Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, 1 Jiaozhou Road, Qingdao 266011, Shandong, China. Tel: +86-532-82789463, Fax: +86-532-85968434, E-mail:
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Zhang HX, Fu JF, Lai C, Tian FY, Su XL, Huang K. Feasibility of balanced steady-state free precession sequence at 1.5T for the evaluation of hepatic steatosis in obese children and adolescents. Eur Radiol 2018; 28:4479-4487. [DOI: 10.1007/s00330-018-5344-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 01/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Intra- and inter-examination repeatability of magnetic resonance spectroscopy, magnitude-based MRI, and complex-based MRI for estimation of hepatic proton density fat fraction in overweight and obese children and adults. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 40:3070-7. [PMID: 26350282 DOI: 10.1007/s00261-015-0542-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Determine intra- and inter-examination repeatability of magnitude-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-M), complex-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-C), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 3T for estimating hepatic proton density fat fraction (PDFF), and using MRS as a reference, confirm MRI-M and MRI-C accuracy. METHODS Twenty-nine overweight and obese pediatric (n = 20) and adult (n = 9) subjects (23 male, 6 female) underwent three same-day 3T MR examinations. In each examination MRI-M, MRI-C, and single-voxel MRS were acquired three times. For each MRI acquisition, hepatic PDFF was estimated at the MRS voxel location. Intra- and inter-examination repeatability were assessed by computing standard deviations (SDs) and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). Aggregate SD was computed for each method as the square root of the average of first repeat variances. MRI-M and MRI-C PDFF estimation accuracy was assessed using linear regression with MRS as a reference. RESULTS For MRI-M, MRI-C, and MRS acquisitions, respectively, mean intra-examination SDs were 0.25%, 0.42%, and 0.49%; mean intra-examination ICCs were 0.999, 0.997, and 0.995; mean inter-examination SDs were 0.42%, 0.45%, and 0.46%; and inter-examination ICCs were 0.995, 0.992, and 0.990. Aggregate SD for each method was <0.9%. Using MRS as a reference, regression slope, intercept, average bias, and R (2), respectively, for MRI-M were 0.99%, 1.73%, 1.61%, and 0.986, and for MRI-C were 0.96%, 0.43%, 0.40%, and 0.991. CONCLUSION MRI-M, MRI-C, and MRS showed high intra- and inter-examination hepatic PDFF estimation repeatability in overweight and obese subjects. Longitudinal hepatic PDFF change >1.8% (twice the maximum aggregate SD) may represent real change rather than measurement imprecision. Further research is needed to assess whether examinations performed on different days or with different MR technologists affect repeatability of MRS voxel placement and MRS-based PDFF measurements.
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Lui G, Wong VWS, Wong GLH, Chu WCW, Wong CK, Yung IMH, Wong RYK, Yeung SL, Yeung DKW, Cheung CSK, Chan HY, Chan HLY, Lee N. Liver fibrosis and fatty liver in Asian HIV-infected patients. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2016; 44:411-21. [PMID: 27301337 DOI: 10.1111/apt.13702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about the importance of liver fibrosis and fatty liver in HIV-monoinfected individuals without hepatitis virus co-infection, particularly among the Asian population. AIM To evaluate prevalence and risk factors for liver fibrosis and fatty liver in Asian HIV-monoinfected individuals. METHODS Eighty asymptomatic HIV-monoinfected individuals (tested negative for HBV/HCV) were compared with 160 matched HIV-uninfected healthy controls. Transient elastography and proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1) H-MRS) were performed to measure liver stiffness and hepatic steatosis respectively. Blood samples were analysed for metabolic profiles and markers of steatohepatitis (e.g. cytokeratin-18). RESULTS All HIV-infected individuals (mean ± s.d. age 54 ± 11 years, male 93%, Chinese 94%; diagnosis median duration 8 (IQR 4-13 years) were stable on anti-retrovirals (PI-based 58.7%, NNRTI-based 25.0% integrase-inhibitors 16.3%); diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and metabolic syndrome were common. Fatty liver disease was detected in 28.7%. There was significantly higher degree of liver stiffness [4.9 (IQR 4.1-6.2) kPa vs. 4.2 (IQR 3.6-5.0) kPa, P < 0.001], and greater proportions developed significant fibrosis (7.0 kPa, 14.3% vs. 3.1%, P = 0.001) and cirrhosis (10.3 kPa, 5.2% vs. 0.6%, P = 0.040) compared with controls. HIV infection was an independent risk factor for significant fibrosis (adjusted OR 4.00, 95% CI 1.29-12.41, P = 0.016). HIV-infected individuals with fatty liver had excessive liver stiffness and fibrosis. Two cases of asymptomatic hepatocellular carcinoma were detected. CONCLUSIONS HIV-monoinfected patients are at risk for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. HIV-related mechanisms and fatty liver disease may play important roles. Screening and intervention to prevent severe outcomes should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Lui
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - V W-S Wong
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Institute of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - G L-H Wong
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Institute of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - W C-W Chu
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - C-K Wong
- Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - I M H Yung
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - R Y K Wong
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - S-L Yeung
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - D K-W Yeung
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - C S K Cheung
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - H-Y Chan
- Institute of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - H L-Y Chan
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Institute of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - N Lee
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Krishan S, Jain D, Bathina Y, Kale A, Saraf N, Saigal S, Choudhary N, Baijal S, Soin A. Non-invasive quantification of hepatic steatosis in living, related liver donors using dual-echo Dixon imaging and single-voxel proton spectroscopy. Clin Radiol 2016; 71:58-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crad.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Revised: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Tang A, Chen J, Le TA, Changchien C, Hamilton G, Middleton MS, Loomba R, Sirlin CB. Cross-sectional and longitudinal evaluation of liver volume and total liver fat burden in adults with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 40:26-37. [PMID: 25015398 DOI: 10.1007/s00261-014-0175-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To explore the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between fractional liver fat content, liver volume, and total liver fat burden. METHODS In 43 adults with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis participating in a clinical trial, liver volume was estimated by segmentation of magnitude-based low-flip-angle multiecho GRE images. The liver mean proton density fat fraction (PDFF) was calculated. The total liver fat index (TLFI) was estimated as the product of liver mean PDFF and liver volume. Linear regression analyses were performed. RESULTS Cross-sectional analyses revealed statistically significant relationships between TLFI and liver mean PDFF (R 2 = 0.740 baseline/0.791 follow-up, P < 0.001 baseline/P < 0.001 follow-up), and between TLFI and liver volume (R 2 = 0.352/0.452, P < 0.001/< 0.001). Longitudinal analyses revealed statistically significant relationships between liver volume change and liver mean PDFF change (R 2 = 0.556, P < 0.001), between TLFI change and liver mean PDFF change (R 2 = 0.920, P < 0.001), and between TLFI change and liver volume change (R 2 = 0.735, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Liver segmentation in combination with MRI-based PDFF estimation may be used to monitor liver volume, liver mean PDFF, and TLFI in a clinical trial.
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Jiménez-Agüero R, Emparanza JI, Beguiristain A, Bujanda L, Alustiza JM, García E, Hijona E, Gallego L, Sánchez-González J, Perugorria MJ, Asensio JI, Larburu S, Garmendia M, Larzabal M, Portillo MP, Aguirre L, Banales JM. Novel equation to determine the hepatic triglyceride concentration in humans by MRI: diagnosis and monitoring of NAFLD in obese patients before and after bariatric surgery. BMC Med 2014; 12:137. [PMID: 25164060 PMCID: PMC4145227 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-014-0137-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is caused by abnormal accumulation of lipids within liver cells. Its prevalence is increasing in developed countries in association with obesity, and it represents a risk factor for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Since NAFLD is usually asymptomatic at diagnosis, new non-invasive approaches are needed to determine the hepatic lipid content in terms of diagnosis, treatment and control of disease progression. Here, we investigated the potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantitate and monitor the hepatic triglyceride concentration in humans. METHODS A prospective study of diagnostic accuracy was conducted among 129 consecutive adult patients (97 obesity and 32 non-obese) to compare multi-echo MRI fat fraction, grade of steatosis estimated by histopathology, and biochemical measurement of hepatic triglyceride concentration (that is, Folch value). RESULTS MRI fat fraction positively correlates with the grade of steatosis estimated on a 0 to 3 scale by histopathology. However, this correlation value was stronger when MRI fat fraction was linked to the Folch value, resulting in a novel equation to predict the hepatic triglyceride concentration (mg of triglycerides/g of liver tissue = 5.082 + (432.104 * multi-echo MRI fat fraction)). Validation of this formula in 31 additional patients (24 obese and 7 controls) resulted in robust correlation between the measured and estimated Folch values. Multivariate analysis showed that none of the variables investigated improves the Folch prediction capacity of the equation. Obese patients show increased steatosis compared to controls using MRI fat fraction and Folch value. Bariatric surgery improved MRI fat fraction values and the Folch value estimated in obese patients one year after surgery. CONCLUSIONS Multi-echo MRI is an accurate approach to determine the hepatic lipid concentration by using our novel equation, representing an economic non-invasive method to diagnose and monitor steatosis in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jesús M Banales
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital (HUD), University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain.
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Ligabue G, Besutti G, Scaglioni R, Stentarelli C, Guaraldi G. MR quantitative biomarkers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: technical evolutions and future trends. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2013; 3:192-5. [PMID: 24040614 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2223-4292.2013.08.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic steatosis as the earliest manifestation and hallmark, and ranges from benign fatty liver to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Liver biopsy (LB) is considered the reference standard for NAFLD diagnosis, grading and characterization, but it is limited by its invasiveness and observer-dependence. Among imaging surrogates for the assessment of hepatic steatosis, MR is the most accurate. (1)H MR spectroscopy (MRS) provides a quantitative biomarker of liver fat content (LFC) called proton density fat fraction (PDFF), but it is time-consuming, not widely available and limited in sample size. Several MR imaging (MRI) techniques, in particular fat suppression and in-opposed phase techniques, have been used to quantify hepatic steatosis, mainly estimating LFC from water and fat signal intensities rather than proton densities. Several technical measures have been introduced to minimize the effect of confounding factors, in particular a low flip angle, a multiecho acquisition and a spectral modeling of fat with multipeak reconstruction to address respectively T1 effect, T2* effect, and the multifrequency interference effects of fat protons, allowing to use MRI to estimate LFC based on PDFF. Tang et al. evaluated MRI-estimated PDFF, obtained by applying the above-mentioned technical improvements, in the assessment of hepatic steatosis, using histopathology as the reference standard. The identification of PDFF thresholds, even though to be further explored and validated in larger and more diverse cohorts, is useful to identify steatosis categories based on MRI-based steatosis percentages. MRI, with the new refined techniques which provide a robust quantitative biomarker of hepatic steatosis (PDFF) evaluated on the whole liver parenchyma, is a promising non-invasive alternative to LB as the gold standard for steatosis diagnosis and quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Ligabue
- Department of Radiology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
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