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. 2010 Apr 28;16(16):1993-8.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i16.1993.

MRI-determined fat content of human liver, pancreas and kidney

Paul E Sijens  1 , Mireille A Edens, Stephan J L Bakker, Ronald P Stolk
Affiliations

MRI-determined fat content of human liver, pancreas and kidney

Paul E Sijens et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Aim: To assess and correlate the lipid content of various organs in obese subjects and in persons with a normal body weight.

Methods: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and a previously validated gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging method with Dixon's two point technique were used in this study to quantify fat in liver, pancreas as well as kidney.

Results: In 36 volunteers with body mass index (BMI) ranging from 20.0 to 42.9 kg/m(2), the median fat content of liver, pancreas and kidney was 2.3% (interquartile range: 0.2%-7.8%), 2.7% (1.0%-6.5%) and 0.7% (0.1%-1.4%), respectively. BMI and subcutaneous fat correlated significantly with liver and pancreas fat content. We show for the first time the significant correlation of liver and pancreas fat content in healthy controls (r = 0.43, P < 0.01). These observations are related to body weight as measured by BMI and the amount of subcutaneous fat. Kidney fat content is very low and correlates with none of the other fat depots.

Conclusion: Renal lipid accumulation, unlike the coupled accumulations of fat in liver and pancreas, is not observed in obese subjects. Unlike suggestions made in previous studies, renal lipid accumulation appears not to be involved in the pathogenesis of renal disease in humans.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Regions of interest on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (OP series with 70º pulse angle and TE = 2.4 ms) and the corresponding magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). A: Kidney and subcutaneous tissue measurement; B: Liver and pancreas; C: Liver MRS spectral map, showing an array of water and fat peaks.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Liver fat content according to MRS plotted against the fat content of the same volume of interest according to MRI.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Tissue fat content, median values and interquartile ranges, according to MRI (i.e. after correction by MRS) for subjects with normal body weight and for obese subjects.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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