J Korean Soc Magn Reson Med.  1997 Dec;1(1):135-141.

Chemical Saturation Breath-hold Fast MR Imaging for Characterization of Regional Fatty Changes in Liver

• Kim DG
• Yu JS
• Kim KW
• Kim TH
• Jo BJ
• Oh SJ
• Ahn CS
• Kim JH

Abstract

PURPOSE: To assess the usefulness of breath-hold fast MR imaging of liver with fat suppression (FS) by application of chemical saturation technique in the diagnosis of regional fatty changed suspected in sonography.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirteen patients who had focal lesions with diffuse, homogeneous signal changes after FS through chemical saturation technique without additional changes of imaging parameter during MR imaging of liver were selected. T1-weighed fast low-angle shot and T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequences were obtained with or without FS during each single breath-holding session. Subjective changes of signal intensity between the pre-FS and the FS images were compared with the sonographic findings in each lesion.
RESULTS
Seven lesions of decreased signal intensity after FS on T1 or T2-weighted images, including three lesions only at FS T1 images, were regarded as focal fat infiltration. All seven lesions had compatible sonographic findings as homogenously echogenic areas. Another six lesions of subjectively increased signal intensity including two lesions only at FS T2 images were regarded as focal fat sparing. All six lesions had sonographic findings as homogenous echo poor areas suggesting focal fat sparing. In cases regarded as fat infiltration, score changes were more prominent at FS T1 images than FS T2 images(p=0.0002). In cases regarded as fat sparing, score changes were more prominent at FS T2 images than FS T1 images(p=0.042).
CONCLUSION
Breath-hold fast T1 and T2-weighted MR imaging with and without chemical saturation pre-pulse may be sufficient for characterization of regional fatty changes in the different ferential diagnosis of focal hepatic lesion found at sonography.

MeSH Terms

Diagnosis
Humans
Liver*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Ultrasonography