Quantification of Liver Fat with Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Overview

Journal Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am

Specialty Radiology

Date 2010 Nov 25

PMID 21094444

Citations 153

Authors

Scott B Reeder

Claude B Sirlin

Affiliations

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Abstract

Intracellular fat accumulation is common feature of liver disease. Intracellular fat (steatosis) is the histologic hallmark of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease but also may occur with alcohol abuse, viral hepatitis, HIV and genetic lipodystrophies, and chemotherapy. This article reviews emerging MR imaging techniques that attempt to quantify liver fat. The content provides an overview of fatty liver disease and diseases where fat is an important disease feature. Also discussed is the current use and limitation of nontargeted biopsy in diffuse liver disease and why quantitative noninvasive biomarkers of liver fat would be beneficial.

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