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1H MRS assessment of hepatic steatosis in overweight children and adolescents: comparison between 3T and open 1T MR-systems

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Abstract

Purpose

In recent years, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has emerged as a non-invasive technique for measurement of fat content in the liver. The technique is often applied for overweight and obese patients. However, excessively obese patients cannot be examined in most conventional magnetic resonance systems due to limited space. The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of open 1T system to monitor liver fat with proton MRS and to compare hepatic fat fractions (HFFs) obtained using an open 1T system with assessment with 3T proton MRS.

Methods

The study included 23 children and adolescents up to 20 years of age with a body mass index above the 97th percentile according to age and gender. Proton MRS for each patient was performed in both 1T and 3T using point resolved spectroscopy sequence in a single volume positioned in the right liver lobe.

Results

Average T2 relaxation times obtained for an open 1T system (55 ± 7 ms for water and 85 ± 11 ms for fat) were higher than average T2 relaxation times obtained for a 3T system (31 ± 4 ms for water and 66 ± 10 ms for fat). HFFs measured using an open 1T system showed strong correlation with HFFs measured using a 3T system (r = 0.99, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Proton MRS measurements of HFF with an open 1T system are feasible. Open 1T system may reliably replace 3T magnetic resonance system for the assessment of liver fat.

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Acknowledgments

The study was part of the research activities in The Danish Obesity Research Centre (DanORC, see www.danorc.dk) and The Danish Childhood Obesity Biobank (NCT00928473).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 54E2, Herlev Ringvej 75, 2730, Herlev, Denmark

    Elizaveta Chabanova & Henrik S. Thomsen

  2. Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Obesity Clinic, Holbaek Hospital, 4300, Holbaek, Denmark

    Dorthe S. Bille, Ebbe Thisted & Jens-Christian Holm

  3. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jens-Christian Holm

  4. Section of Metabolic Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Dorthe S. Bille

  5. Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Henrik S. Thomsen

Authors
  1. Elizaveta Chabanova
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  2. Dorthe S. Bille
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  3. Ebbe Thisted
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  4. Jens-Christian Holm
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  5. Henrik S. Thomsen
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Correspondence to Elizaveta Chabanova.

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Chabanova, E., Bille, D.S., Thisted, E. et al. 1H MRS assessment of hepatic steatosis in overweight children and adolescents: comparison between 3T and open 1T MR-systems. Abdom Imaging 38, 315–319 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-012-9930-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-012-9930-2

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