title: Quantitative analysis of pancreatic echogenicity on transabdominal sonography: correlations with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To attempt a quantitative analysis of pancreatic echogenicity on transabdominal ultrasonography (US) and evaluate the correlation between pancreatic echogenicity and metabolic syndrome (MetS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated transabdominal sonograms from 286 subjects. Mean pancreatic body brightness, mean perihepatic fat brightness, and the pancreato-perihepatic fat index (PPHFI) were measured, and reproducibility was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients. Associations between the PPHFI and MetS components were analyzed. The optimal PPHFI cutoff value to predict MetS was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reproducibility was good for mean pancreatic body brightness, mean perihepatic fat brightness, and PPHFI with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.98, 0.95, and 0.95, respectively. Each MetS component showed a significant association with PPHFI. Waist circumference had the strongest association (r = 0.55, p < 0.0001). PPHFI was significantly higher in the MetS (+) group than the MetS (-) group (p < 0.0001), and PPHFI was an independent factor predicting MetS (p = 0.02; odds ratio, 2.89). The best PPHFI cutoff value to predict MetS was 1.97, with a relatively high negative predictive value of 94.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We quantitatively analyzed pancreatic echogenicity using the PPHFI on US and found that an increased PPHFI was significantly correlated with MetS. Because increased PPHFI on US may indicate MetS, radiologists and clinicians need to be aware of its implications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Good Morning Internal Clinic, Changwon-si, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Mu Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myeong-Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: abdomen; metabolic syndrome; pancreas; pancreatic echogenicity; transabdominal ultrasonography