title: Separation of hepatic iron and fat by dual-source dual-energy computed tomography based on material decomposition: an animal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the feasibility of dual-source dual-energy computed tomography (DSDECT) for hepatic iron and fat separation in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  All of the procedures in this study were approved by the Research Animal Resource Center of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. Sixty rats that underwent DECT scanning were divided into the normal group, fatty liver group, liver iron group, and coexisting liver iron and fat group, according to Prussian blue and HE staining. The data for each group were reconstructed and post-processed by an iron-specific, three-material decomposition algorithm. The iron enhancement value and the virtual non-iron contrast value, which indicated overloaded liver iron and residual liver tissue, respectively, were measured. Spearman's correlation and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed, respectively, to analyze statistically the correlations with the histopathological results and differences among groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The iron enhancement values were positively correlated with the iron pathology grading (r = 0.729, p<0.001). Virtual non-iron contrast (VNC) values were negatively correlated with the fat pathology grading (r = -0.642,p<0.0001). Different groups showed significantly different iron enhancement values and VNC values (F = 25.308,p<0.001; F = 10.911, p<0.001, respectively). Among the groups, significant differences in iron enhancement values were only observed between the iron-present and iron-absent groups, and differences in VNC values were only observed between the fat-present and fat-absent groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Separation of hepatic iron and fat by dual energy material decomposition in vivo was feasible, even when they coexisted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Radiology, the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Shi-Hezi University Medical School (Corps Hospital), Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Shi-Hezi University Medical School (Corps Hospital), Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Fu-Hua
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D007501:Iron