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Comparative Study
. 2025 Aug;62(2):551-560.
doi: 10.1002/jmri.29743. Epub 2025 Apr 10.

Quantification of the Proton Density Fat Fraction and Iron Content: A Comparative Study Between 3.0 T and 5.0 T MRI

Yali Li  1 , Dan Jin  1 , Suwei Liu  1 , Chenyu Jiang  1 , Ming Ni  1 , Limin Feng  1 , Yan Zhang  1 , Yuxin Yang  2 , Guangjin Zhou  1 , Jiajia Xu  1 , Shipei He  2 , Liqiang Zhou  3 , Huishu Yuan  1
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Quantification of the Proton Density Fat Fraction and Iron Content: A Comparative Study Between 3.0 T and 5.0 T MRI

Yali Li et al. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2025 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and R2* are noninvasive MRI biomarkers for quantifying fat and iron in abdominal organs. While 3.0 T MRI is widely used clinically, 5.0 T may offer improved accuracy and reliability. With the increasing availability of 5.0 T, assessing its feasibility and utility for quantifying PDFF and R2* in abdominal organs is needed.

Purpose: To determine the agreement of the PDFF and R2* in the liver, pancreas, kidney, and paraspinal muscle at 2 different field strengths.

Study type: Prospective.

Population: A total of 127 participants, including 60 healthy volunteers and 67 with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (100 women and 27 men, 52 ± 9 years old).

Field strength/sequence: 3.0 T and 5.0 T; Chemical shift-encoded multi-echo gradient echo sequence.

Assessment: PDFF and R2* values in the liver, pancreas, kidney, and paraspinal muscle were measured by three observers to evaluate the interobserver and interfield agreement using two 3.0 T scanners (scanner 1 and scanner 2) and one 5.0 T scanner.

Statistical tests: Linear regression, Bland-Altman analyses, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). The p-value < 0.05 indicated statistically significant.

Results: PDFF and R2* at 5.0 T were strongly correlated with those at two 3.0 T scanners for all organs (R 2 = 0.905-0.998 for PDFF; 0.831-0.991 for R2*), indicating high interfield ICCs (0.892-0.993 for PDFF; 0.910-0.981 for R2*). Comparisons between 5.0 T and two 3.0 T scanners showed good interfield agreement for PDFF (mean bias, -0.57% to 0.03%) while a higher bias for R2* (mean bias, -16.53 to -2.64 s-1, 95% LoA, -34.28 to 1.21 s-1) at 5.0 T compared to the comparison between 3T scanners.

Data conclusion: 5.0 T revealed high interfield agreement between the PDFF and R2* with 3.0 T, which could provide reliable quantification of fat and iron contents in abdominal organs.

Evidence level: 2.

Technical efficacy: Stage 2.

Keywords: 5.0 T MRI; R2* quantification; high‐field MRI; proton density fat fraction.

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