J Vet Sci.  2018 Jul;19(4):570-576. 10.4142/jvs.2018.19.4.570.

Non-invasive quantification of hepatic fat content in healthy dogs by using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and dual gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging

Affiliations
  • 1Clinic of Diagnostic Imaging, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland. fdelchicca@vetclinics.uzh.ch
  • 2Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
  • 3Section of Anesthesiology, Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
  • 4Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
  • 5Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
  • 6Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
  • 7Institute of Animal Nutrition, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to describe two non-invasive methods for fat quantification in normal canine liver by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy. Eleven adult beagle dogs were anesthetized and underwent magnetic resonance examination of the cranial abdomen by performing morphologic, modified Dixon (mDixon) dual gradient echo sequence, and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H MRS) imaging. In addition, ultrasonographic liver examination was performed, fine-needle liver aspirates and liver biopsies were obtained, and hepatic triglyceride content was assayed. Ultrasonographic, cytologic, and histologic examination results were unremarkable in all cases. The median hepatic fat fraction calculated was 2.1% (range, 1.3%-5.5%) using mDixon, 0.3% (range, 0.1%-1.0%) using ¹H MRS, and 1.6% (range 1.0%-2.5%) based on triglyceride content. The hepatic fat fractions calculated using mDixon and ¹H MRS imaging were highly correlated to that based on triglyceride content. A weak correlation between mDixon and ¹H MRS imaging was detected. The results show that hepatic fat content can be estimated using non-invasive techniques (mDixon or ¹H MRS) in healthy dogs. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the use of these techniques in dogs with varying hepatic fat content and different hepatic disorders.

Keyword

canine; hepatic triglyceride; liver; magnetic resonance imaging; proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy

MeSH Terms

Abdomen
Adult
Animals
Biopsy
Dogs*
Humans
Liver
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy*
Protons*
Spectrum Analysis
Triglycerides
Protons

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Representative example of the appearance of a normal liver in the in-phase (A) and opposed-phase (B) imaging from dual gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging sequences. A regions of interest drawn in the left caudal parenchyma is shown (circles). The signal intensity is similar on both images and the mean calculated hepatic fat fraction was 1.1%.

  • Fig. 2 Representative proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy spectrum of the dog from Fig. 1 showing the corresponding transverse (left image), sagittal (middle image) and dorsal (right image) localizing scans and the voxel placement (red polygon). On the graph, the x-axis indicates the chemical shift in parts per million (ppm). The highest peak, at the 4.6 ppm position, corresponds to the water peak. The smaller peak at the 1.2 ppm, corresponds to the lipid peak. The calculated hepatic fat fraction was 0.63%.

  • Fig. 3 Box plots of hepatic fat fraction (HFF) measured by using dual gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging (modified Dixon), proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and biochemical analysis (Bioc).


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