title: Nondiffuse fatty infiltration of the liver: does the uptake of iron-oxide increase or decrease at SPIO-enhanced MR imaging?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify whether the uptake of SPIO increases or decreases in areas of fatty change compared with surrounding areas of nonfatty change at SPIO-enhanced MR imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Approval for this retrospective study was obtained from our institutional review board. This study included 14 patients with nondiffuse fatty infiltration of the liver who underwent SPIO-enhanced MR imaging. Additionally, 30 patients without nondiffuse fatty infiltration of the liver were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 14 patients, areas of fatty change showed relatively high signal intensity in 7 patents, indicating decreased uptake of SPIO in areas of fatty change. In these 7 patients, 4 had mild cirrhosis and 3 did not have cirrhosis. The mean percentage of signal intensity loss (42%) of fatty areas was significantly lower (p<0.007) than that of adjacent areas of nonfatty change (52%). In the remaining 7 of 14 patients, areas of fatty change showed relatively low signal intensity, indicating increased uptake of SPIO in areas of fatty change. Among these 7 patients, 6 had advanced cirrhosis. The mean percentage of signal intensity loss (47%) of fatty areas was significantly higher (p<0.008) than that of adjacent areas of nonfatty change (31%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The uptake of SPIO generally decreased in areas of fatty change compared with normal liver parenchyma at SPIO-enhanced MR imaging. However, in patients with advanced cirrhosis, areas of fatty change shows relatively low signal intensity because the uptake of SPIO in surrounding areas of nonfatty change severely decreased probably due to liver fibrosis.
authors: Department of Radiology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minamikogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan.
authors: Hideko
authors: H
authors: Onoda
authors: Katsuyoshi
authors: K
authors: Ito
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Tanabe
authors: Ayame
authors: A
authors: Shimizu
authors: Naofumi
authors: N
authors: Matsunaga