Effect of steatosis on liver signal and enhancement on multiphasic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.
To investigate the effect of steatosis on liver signal and enhancement in multiphasic contrast-enhanced (MCE) MRI.



In this IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant, retrospective, observational study, 1217 MCE abdominal MRIs performed during 2014 at a single institution were reviewed. Of these, 1085 were excluded, due to potential factors other than steatosis that may affect liver signal intensity and/or enhancement. In the remaining 132, liver fat fraction (FF) was calculated from the in- and opposed-phase 2D T1-weighted images. Liver signal intensity, absolute enhancement, and relative enhancement on fat-suppressed (Dixon method) 3D T1-weighted images before and after injection of gadobutrol (arterial, portal venous, and equilibrium phases) were plotted against co-localized FF values and the linear trend was evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient (r). P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.



Liver signal intensity negatively correlated with FF for all phases (r = -0.388 to -0.544, p < 0.001). Absolute enhancement negatively correlated with FF for the portal venous and equilibrium phases (r = -0.286 and -0.289, respectively, p < 0.001), but not for the arterial phase (r = -0.042, p = 0.632). Relative enhancement did not significantly correlate with FF for any phase (p ≥ 0.125).



Steatosis reduces liver signal intensity in MCE MRI. This effect of steatosis was reduced in calculated absolute enhancement and eliminated in calculated relative enhancement.
Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2201 Inwood Road, NE2.210B, Dallas, TX, 75390-9085, USA.
Ali
A
Pirasteh
Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2201 Inwood Road, NE2.210B, Dallas, TX, 75390-9085, USA.
Haley R
HR
Clark
Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2201 Inwood Road, NE2.210B, Dallas, TX, 75390-9085, USA.
Endel A
EA
Sorra
Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2201 Inwood Road, NE2.210B, Dallas, TX, 75390-9085, USA.|Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2201 Inwood Road, NE2.210B, Dallas, TX, 75390-9085, USA.
Ivan
I
Pedrosa
Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2201 Inwood Road, NE2.210B, Dallas, TX, 75390-9085, USA. takeshi.yokoo@utsouthwestern.edu.|Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2201 Inwood Road, NE2.210B, Dallas, TX, 75390-9085, USA. takeshi.yokoo@utsouthwestern.edu.
Takeshi
T
Yokoo
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA
Contrast media; Fatty liver; Gadolinium; Liver steatosis; Magnetic resonance imaging