title: Automated two-point dixon screening for the evaluation of hepatic steatosis and siderosis: comparison with R2-relaxometry and chemical shift-based sequences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the automated two-point Dixon screening sequence for the detection and estimated quantification of hepatic iron and fat compared with standard sequences as a reference.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and two patients with suspected diffuse liver disease were included in this prospective study. The following MRI protocol was used: 3D-T1-weighted opposed- and in-phase gradient echo with two-point Dixon reconstruction and dual-ratio signal discrimination algorithm ("screening" sequence); fat-saturated, multi-gradient-echo sequence with 12 echoes; gradient-echo T1 FLASH opposed- and in-phase. Bland-Altman plots were generated and correlation coefficients were calculated to compare the sequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The screening sequence diagnosed fat in 33, iron in 35 and a combination of both in 4 patients. Correlation between R2* values of the screening sequence and the standard relaxometry was excellent (r = 0.988). A slightly lower correlation (r = 0.978) was found between the fat fraction of the screening sequence and the standard sequence. Bland-Altman revealed systematically lower R2* values obtained from the screening sequence and higher fat fraction values obtained with the standard sequence with a rather high variability in agreement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The screening sequence is a promising method with fast diagnosis of the predominant liver disease. It is capable of estimating the amount of hepatic fat and iron comparable to standard methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • MRI plays a major role in the clarification of diffuse liver disease. • The screening sequence was introduced for the assessment of diffuse liver disease. • It is a fast and automated algorithm for the evaluation of hepatic iron and fat. • It is capable of estimating the amount of hepatic fat and iron.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria, benjamin.henninger@i-med.ac.at.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Henninger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zoller
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rauch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schocke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kannengiesser
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jaschke
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kremser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012806:Siderosis / Q000175:diagnosis*