Department of Radiology

Hepatic Steatosis Quantification

MRI with a dedicated steatosis assessment technique can noninvasively diagnose and quantify hepatic steatosis. By obtaining images with multiple echo times, a 3D map of the hepatic fat fraction can be obtained. This may be valuable to diagnose nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the setting of elevated liver function tests, as well as monitor the efficacy of therapy.

Sample Epic Order

Download and Print A Request

Attachment	Size
Hepatic Steatosis Order Form	1.08 MB

How to place an MRI request on Epic

$Fat fraction map in a patient with 18 percent liver fat fraction (arrow). Note how spleen is dark, visceral and subcutaneous fat are bright, and liver is intermediate in signal.$

References

Hepatic fat quantification: a prospective comparison of magnetic resonance spectroscopy and analysis methods for chemical-shift gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging with histologic assessment as the reference standard.
Kang BK, Yu ES, Lee SS, Lee Y, Kim N, Sirlin CB, Cho EY, Yeom SK, Byun JH, Park SH, Lee MG.
Invest Radiol. 2012 Jun;47(6):368-75.PMID: 22543969.

Noninvasive assessment of hepatic steatosis.
Mazhar SM, Shiehmorteza M, Sirlin CB.
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2009 Feb;7(2):135-40. Epub 2008 Dec 6. Review.
PMID: 19118644