title: Accuracy analysis of intrahepatic fat density measurements using dual-energy computed tomography: Validation using a test phantom.
abstract: Currently, no standardized method for measuring intrahepatic fat density via conventional computed tomography (CT) exists.
  
  
  
  We aim to quantify intrahepatic fat density via material decomposition analysis using rapid kilovolt peak-switching dual-energy (RSDE) CT.
  
  
  
  Homogenized porcine liver and fat (lard) were mixed in various ratios to produce phantoms for fat density verification. The actual fat density was measured on the basis of the phantom volume and weight, and these measurements were used as reference densities. The fat and liver mass attenuation coefficients, which were used as the material basis pairs, were employed in the material decomposition analysis. Then, the measured fat density of each phantom was compared with the reference densities.
  
  
  
  For fat content differences exceeding 2%, the measured fat density for the phantoms became statistically significant (p < 0.01). The correlation between the reference densities and RSDE-measured fat densities was reasonably high (R > 0.9997); this indicates the validity of this analysis method.
  
  
  
  Intrahepatic fat density can be measured using the mass attenuation coefficients of fat and liver in a material decomposition analysis. Given the knowledge of the accuracy and the limitations found in this study, our method can quantitatively evaluate fat density.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Center Hospital of the National Center to Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.|Graduate Division of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Komazawa University, Komazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Center Hospital of the National Center to Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Center Hospital of the National Center to Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shinozaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Center Hospital of the National Center to Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Center Hospital of the National Center to Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Center Hospital of the National Center to Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nozaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Center Hospital of the National Center to Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.affiliation: Graduate Division of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Komazawa University, Komazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Center Hospital of the National Center to Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hinoshita
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D013552:Swine; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Computed tomography; dual energy; fat density; fatty liver; material decomposition; quality assurance