ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) imaging, by which to quantitatively analyze liver fat content for therapeutic evaluation of fatty liver at 3.0 T MRI. MethodsTwenty-six patients who diagnosed with fatty liver were examined with proton MRS at Siemens Trio Tim 3.0 T MRI before treatment and 3, 6 months after treatment, respectively. The water peak, fat peak, water peak area, and fat peak area were detected, and the relative lipid content 1 (RLC1) and relative lipid content 2 (RLC2)were calculated. Fatty liver index (FLI) was referred to the standard which was calculated from triglycerides (TG), gammaglutamyl-transferase (GGT), waist circumference, and body mass index. ResultsThere were significantly different differences of RLC1 and RLC2 among before treatment and 3, 6 months after treatment (Plt;0.05). Compared with before treatment, the RLC1 and RLC2 values significantly decreased on month 3 or 6 after treatment (Plt;0.05). There were positive correlation between RLC1 or RLC2 and FLI (r=0.476, Plt;0.00; r=0.475, Plt;0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient was more than 0.75 before treatment, the repeatability was better. ConclusionsProton MRS can quantitatively measure liver fat content. It can be reliably used for dynamic monitoring the therapeutic effects for fatty liver. Proton MRS is accurate, and has a good clinical application in dynamically monitoring the progression of fatty liver and evaluating the therapeutic effects of various treatments.
Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy （1 H-MRS） on the quantification of hepatic steatosis at 3.0 T MR united.Methods Twenty-two patients who were candidated for liver surgery (living liver transplantation donor candidates, lobectomy or segmental resection for focal liver diseases, etc.) were enrolled in this study. 1 H-MRS was conducted with point resolved selective spectroscopy （PRESS） sequence, using SAGE software packages. The values of water peak (PW), lipid peak (PL) were measured, the area under water peak (AW) and lipid peak (AL), and then the relative lipid content of liver cells (RLC1, RLC2) was calculated. All subjects underwent surgical resection of liver shortly after MR scanning, fresh frozen specimens were obtained for Sudan Ⅲ staining, and staging was conducted.Results In all 22 patients, 7 patients without fatty liver, 11 patients with mild fatty liver, 4 patients with moderate or severe fatty liver. Intercomparison between different histopathological grades showed following findings: the values of PL, AL, RLC1 and RLC2 had statistical significance (Plt;0.05). The values of PL， AL， RLC1 and RLC2 were positively correlated with the proportion of fatty degenerative cells (PFDC), Plt;0.05, and the highest correlation factor was 0.771 (RLC1 to the PFDC).Conclusion 1 H-MRS can accurately quantify liver fat content and reflect the severity of hepatic steatosis. It has the potential to replace invasive liver biopsy.