Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Meta-Analysis
. 2024 Dec;35(12):2077-2086.
doi: 10.1007/s00198-024-07220-3. Epub 2024 Aug 12.

Association of proton-density fat fraction with osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Kecheng Yuan  1 , Qingyun Liu  1 , Penghui Luo  1 , Changliang Wang  1 , Yufu Zhou  2 , Fulang Qi  1 , Qing Zhang  1 , Xiaoyan Huang  2 , Bensheng Qiu  3
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Association of proton-density fat fraction with osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Kecheng Yuan et al. Osteoporos Int. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between measuring proton-density fat fraction (PDFF) in bone marrow using multi-echo chemical shift-encoded MRI and osteoporosis, assessing its effectiveness as a biomarker for osteoporosis. A systematic review was conducted by two independent researchers using Cochrane, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases up to December 2023. Quality assessments were evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) checklist. Fourteen studies involving 1495 patients were analyzed. The meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in PDFF values between the osteoporosis/osteopenia group and the normal control group, with a mean difference of 11.04 (95% CI: 9.17 to 12.92, Z=11.52, P < 0.00001). Measuring PDFF via MRI shows potential as an osteoporosis biomarker and may serve as a risk factor for osteoporosis. This insight opens new avenues for future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, potentially improving osteoporosis management and patient care.

Objective: This study aims to assess the correlation between measuring proton-density fat fraction (PDFF) in bone marrow using multi-echo chemical shift-encoded MRI and osteoporosis, evaluating its effectiveness as a biomarker for osteoporosis.

Materials and methods: This systematic review was carried out by two independent researchers using Cochrane, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases up to December 2023. Quality assessments were evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) checklist.

Results: Fourteen studies involving 1495 patients were analyzed. The meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in PDFF values between the osteoporosis/osteopenia group and the normal control group, with a (MD = 11.04, 95% CI: 9.17 to 12.92, Z = 11.52, P < 0.00001). Subgroup analyses indicated that diagnostic methods, gender, and echo length did not significantly impact the PDFF-osteoporosis association.

Conclusion: PDFF measurement via MRI shows potential as an osteoporosis biomarker and may serve as a risk factor for osteoporosis. This insight opens new avenues for future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, potentially improving osteoporosis management and patient care.

Keywords: Fat fraction quantified; MRI; Meta-analysis; Osteopenia/osteoporosis; PDFF.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Zhao Y et al (2019) Prediction of abnormal bone density and osteoporosis from lumbar spine MR using modified Dixon Quant in 257 subjects with quantitative computed tomography as reference. J Magn Reson Imaging 49(2):390–399 - PubMed - DOI
    1. Li X et al (2022) Q-Dixon and GRAPPATINI T2 mapping parameters: a whole spinal assessment of the relationship between osteoporosis and intervertebral disc degeneration. J Magn Reson Imaging 55(5):1536–1546 - PubMed - DOI
    1. Veldhuis-Vlug AG, Rosen CJ (2017) Mechanisms of marrow adiposity and its implications for skeletal health. Metabolism 67:106–114 - PubMed - DOI
    1. Yeung DK et al (2005) Osteoporosis is associated with increased marrow fat content and decreased marrow fat unsaturation: a proton MR spectroscopy study. J Magnetic Resonance Imaging: An Off J Int Soc Magn Reson Med 22(2):279–285 - DOI
    1. Yokoo T et al (2011) Estimation of hepatic proton-density fat fraction by using MR imaging at 3.0 T. Radiology 258(3):749–59 - PubMed - PMC - DOI

LinkOut - more resources