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European Radiology
Published in: European Radiology 2/2013

01-02-2013 | Magnetic Resonance

Fat deposition decreases diffusion parameters at MRI: a study in phantoms and patients with liver steatosis

Authors: Helena S. Leitão, Sabrina Doblas, Gaspard d’Assignies, Philippe Garteiser, Jean-Luc Daire, Valérie Paradis, Carlos F. G. C. Geraldes, Valérie Vilgrain, Bernard E. Van Beers

Published in: European Radiology | Issue 2/2013

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Abstract

Purpose

Assess the effect of fat deposition on the MRI diffusion coefficients in lipid emulsion-based phantoms and patients with proven isolated liver steatosis.

Materials and methods

Diffusion-weighted MRI with 11 b values from 0–500 s/mm2 was performed in phantoms (fat fractions 0–18 %) with and without fat suppression and in 19 patients with normal liver (n = 14) or isolated liver steatosis (n = 5) proven by histopathology. The apparent, pure and perfusion-related diffusion coefficients and the perfusion fraction were measured. Spearman correlation coefficient and Mann–Whitney U test were used for comparisons.

Results

A strong correlation between the apparent and pure diffusion coefficients and fat fractions was seen in phantoms. The pure diffusion coefficient decreased significantly in patients with liver steatosis (0.96 ± 0.16 × 10-3 mm2/s versus 1.18 ± 0.09 × 10-3 mm2/s in normal liver, P = 0.005), whereas the decrease in apparent diffusion coefficient did not reach statistical significance (1.26 ± 0.25 × 10-3 mm2/s versus 1.41 ± 0.14 × 10-3 mm2/s in normal liver, P = 0.298).

Conclusions

Fat deposition decreases the apparent and pure diffusion coefficients in lipid emulsion-based phantoms and patients with isolated liver steatosis proven by histopathology.

Key Points

• Magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly used to quantify hepatic fibrosis.
• Lipid phantoms show inverse correlations between diffusion coefficients and fat fractions.
• The pure diffusion coefficient decreases in patients with isolated liver steatosis.
• Steatosis may be a confounding factor when measuring the liver diffusion parameters.
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Metadata
Title
Fat deposition decreases diffusion parameters at MRI: a study in phantoms and patients with liver steatosis
Authors
Helena S. Leitão
Sabrina Doblas
Gaspard d’Assignies
Philippe Garteiser
Jean-Luc Daire
Valérie Paradis
Carlos F. G. C. Geraldes
Valérie Vilgrain
Bernard E. Van Beers
Publication date
01-02-2013
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
European Radiology / Issue 2/2013
Print ISSN: 0938-7994
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1084
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-012-2626-8

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