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MRI-based quantification of renal fat in obese individuals using different image analysis approaches

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate different renal proton density fat fraction (PDFF) analysis approaches. Additionally, we assessed renal fat in obese individuals and lean individuals.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational case–control study. Twenty-eight obese individuals and 14 lean controls underwent MRI with multi-point Dixon technique for PDFF maps. The following renal PDFF image analysis approaches were performed and compared: (1) five circular regions of interest (ROIs) in six slices, (2) three circular ROIs in one slice, (3) freehand segmentation of renal parenchyma in one slice, and (4) freehand segmentation of renal parenchyma avoiding the renal border in one slice. Furthermore, renal PDFF was compared between obese and lean individuals.

Results

Methods 1, 2, and 4 were positively correlated (r ≥ 0.498, p ≤ 0.001). Renal PDFF values varied more with regards to ROI placement within slices than mean PDFF between slices. Using all methods, the obese individuals had significantly higher renal PDFF values compared with the lean controls.

Conclusion

Renal PDFF should be measured covering large areas of the kidney while excluding artifacts. This can be achieved using multiple circular ROIs. Increased lipid accumulation in the kidneys was related to obesity.

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Acknowledgements

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Funding

No funds, grants, or other support were received.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Hobrovej 18-22, 9000, Aalborg, Denmark

    Mimoza Gjela & Jens Brøndum Frøkjær

  2. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg University Hospital, Hobrovej 18-22, 9000, Aalborg, Denmark

    Mimoza Gjela, Anders Askeland, Maiken Mellergaard & Aase Handberg

  3. Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Søndre Skovvej 15, 9000, Aalborg, Denmark

    Anders Askeland, Jens Brøndum Frøkjær & Aase Handberg

Authors
  1. Mimoza Gjela
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  2. Anders Askeland
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  3. Jens Brøndum Frøkjær
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  4. Maiken Mellergaard
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  5. Aase Handberg
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Contributions

MG contributed to investigation, formal analysis, data curation, writing of the original draft, and visualization. AA contributed to investigation, data curation, project administration, and writing, reviewing, and editing of the manuscript. JBF contributed to methodology, resources, writing, reviewing, and editing of the manuscript, and supervision. MM contributed to methodology and writing, reviewing, and editing of the manuscript. AH contributed to conceptualization, methodology, resources, writing, reviewing, and editing of the manuscript, and supervision.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mimoza Gjela.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Ethical approval

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by The North Denmark Region Committee on Health Research Ethics (N-20200013).

Consent to participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Gjela, M., Askeland, A., Frøkjær, J.B. et al. MRI-based quantification of renal fat in obese individuals using different image analysis approaches. Abdom Radiol 47, 3546–3553 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-022-03603-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-022-03603-4

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