Evaluation of the Pattern of Liver Fat Distribution Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technique in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

2 MSc Student, Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, Behbahan School of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of the liver fat with in-phase and out-of-phase gradient echo imaging technique in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted on 38 volunteers after approval by the Ethics Committee and obtaining informed consent, in the period of more than two years. Inclusion criteria were as being adult with confirmed NAFLD in biopsy findings, and exclusion criteria included pregnancy, alcohol consumption, claustrophobia, history of liver disease, and using lipid control drugs between biopsy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The in-phase and out-of-phase sequences was performed with a 1.5 Tesla scanner. Fat fractions were calculated for different parts of the liver, and compared with each other. Descriptive statistics, linear regression, and a set of Spearman, Kruskul-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney tests were used with a significance level of P < 0.050 in SPSS software.Findings: 38 patients (22 men and 16 women) with mean age of 42.4 ± 10.6 years were investigated. The fat content for segments 1 to 3 (11.63 ± 10.22 percent), superficial (19.00 ± 11.67 percent) and deep (23.01 ± 12.59 percent) regions of segments 4 to 8, superficial region of segment 5 (19.00 ± 11.67 percent), and the whole liver (18.44 ± 11.57 percent) was measured. A direct linear relationship was found between the fat content of the surface region of segment 5 and biopsy findings (R2 = 0.86, P = 0.001). The average fat content of segments 1 to 3 was lower than other anatomical regions (P < 0.050), and the difference in fat content of other groups was not significant (P > 0.050).Conclusion: The spatial distribution of liver fat is heterogeneous in patients with NAFLD.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 36, Issue 502 - Serial Number 502
September and October 2019
Pages 1314-1320

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History

  • Receive Date: 08 August 2018
  • Revise Date: 01 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

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