Investig Magn Reson Imaging.  2024 Mar;28(1):27-35. 10.13104/imri.2023.0020.

Comparison of Volumetric Measurement Method With Region of Interest Drawing Method for Liver Fat Quantification

• Lee H
• Bae H
• Yoon JK
• Park J
• Chung YE

• KMID: 2554472
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.13104/imri.2023.0020

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of measuring liver fat using the volumetric measurement method (Fat_vol) by comparing it with the conventional 27-regions of interest drawing method (Fat_roi).
Materials and Methods
This retrospective study included 67 patients who underwent liver magnetic resonance imaging with fat quantification in August or September 2020. Two experienced abdominal radiologists measured the proton density fat fraction (PDFF) of the liver using the mDIXON-Quant sequence for each of two methods. The PDFF was measured twice with each method at intervals of at least 4 weeks to avoid recall bias. Measurement times were recorded. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated for intra-exam repeatability, inter-reviewer reproducibility, and inter-exam agreement.
Results
Measurement times for Fat_vol were significantly shorter than for Fat_roi. Measurement times for Fat_roi and Fat_vol, respectively, for reviewer A were 209.4 ± 55.1 s and 137.2 ± 51.5 s in session 1, and 180.9 ± 37.3 s and 127.0 ± 46.1 s in session 2. For reviewer B, the times were 190.7 ± 30.1 s and 74.8 ± 27.4 s in session 1, and 174.6 ± 21.8 s and 64.1 ± 17.5 s in session 2. In all cases, p < 0.001. The mean PDFF values were 7.2% ± 6.4% and 7.2% ± 6.5% (sessions 1 and 2, respectively) for Fat_roi and 7.4% ± 6.0% and 7.3% ± 6.1% for Fat_vol for reviewer A. For reviewer B, they were 7.1% ± 6.6% and 7.1% ± 6.6% for Fat_roi and 7.4% ± 5.8% and 7.4% ± 5.8% for Fat_vol. The ICCs between measurement methods (0.998 and 0.995 for reviewers A and B, respectively), for Fat_vol within each reviewer (0.999 and 1.000 in sessions 1 and 2, respectively), and between reviewers (0.999) were excellent.
Conclusion
The measurement time could be significantly reduced using Fat_vol compared to Fat_roi while maintaining the consistency of the liver fat measurement values.

Keyword

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Fat quantification; Magnetic resonance imaging; Proton density fat fraction; Fatty liver