Name: Author Spotlight: A Non-Invasive Tool to Assess and Differentiate Fat Patterns in Liver Using 3D Dixon MRI
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This publication received support from the fifth national program for the identification of outstanding clinical talents in traditional Chinese medicine, organized by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The official network link is&#39;http://www.natcm.gov.cn/renjiaosi/zhengcewenjian/2021-11-04/23082.html.

The study was approved, and the patient was recruited from the Department of Infectious Diseases at Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, in Beijing, China. The patient underwent a routine abdominal Dixon MRI scan after providing informed consent. In this investigation, a 3D distribution modeling approach is employed to reconstruct the liver fat fraction (LFF) in a standard patient with medically diagnosed hepatic steatosis. Furthermore, the study provides a quantitative assessment comparing the pa...

A Comprehensive 3D-Liver Fat Function Distribution Model Using Dixon MRI

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This research presents an innovative 3D quantification technique for analyzing the distribution of liver fat fraction (LFF) using Dixon MRI9,10. By integrating LFF maps, which are generated from in-phase and water-phase images, with 3D liver contours, this method distinguishes between LFF patterns in normal and steatotic livers6. Consequently, it facilitates a precise evaluation of liver fat content.
Step 3 repr...

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) encompasses a spectrum of pathological conditions, ranging from the abnormal accumulation of triglycerides in liver cells (hepatic steatosis) to the development of inflammation and damage to liver cells, known as non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH). In some cases, NAFLD can progress to more severe stages, including fibrosis, cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, or even Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)1. Published data from the World Health Organization and the Global Burden of Disease suggest that approximately 1,235.7 million individuals worldwide are affected by NAFLD across all age groups2. NAFLD currently ranks as one of the most prominent causes of liver-related diseases globally and is expected to become the leading cause of end-stage liver disease in the coming decades3.
The accurate assessment of hepatic steatosis&#39;s extent holds substantial importance for precise diagnosis, appropriate treatment selection, and effective disease progression monitoring. The gold standard for assessing liver fat content continues to be liver biopsy. However, due to its invasive nature, the potential for pain, bleeding, and other postoperative complications, it is not a practical option for frequent follow-up examinations4,5,6. Consequently, there is a pressing need for noninvasive imaging techniques that can reliably quantify hepatic fat deposition. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows promise in this area due to its lack of ionizing radiation and its ability to sensitively detect fat content through chemical shift effects7,8.
Recent studies have outlined MRI techniques for quantifying hepatic fat, based on chemical shift gradient echo methods like Dixon imaging9,10. Nonetheless, the majority of these techniques rely on the analysis of two-dimensional regions of interest. The comprehensive evaluation of the three-dimensional distribution of liver fat fraction (LFF) has remained limited. In the present study, a unique 3D LFF quantification approach is introduced, combining Dixon MRI with liver structural imaging. The resulting 3D LFF model allows for precise visualization and measurement of the distribution of fat content throughout the entire volume of the liver. This technique demonstrates substantial clinical utility for the accurate diagnosis of hepatic steatosis.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>MATLAB</td>
			<td>MathWorks&#160;</td>
			<td>2022B</td>
			<td>Computing and visualization&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mimics</td>
			<td>Materialise</td>
			<td>Mimics Research V20</td>
			<td>Model format transformation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tools for 3D_LFF</td>
			<td>Intelligent Entropy</td>
			<td>HepaticSteatosis V1.0</td>
			<td>Beijing Intelligent Entropy Science &#38; Technology Co Ltd. 
			Modeling for CT/MRI fusion</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

a 3d quantification technique for liver fat fraction distribution analysis using dixon magnetic resonance imaging

This study presents a 3D quantification methodology for the distribution of liver fat fraction (LFF) through the utilization of Dixon MRI image analysis. The central aim is to offer a highly accurate and non-invasive means of evaluating liver fat content. The process involves the acquisition of In-phase and Water-phase images from a Dixon sequence. LFF maps are then meticulously computed voxel by voxel by dividing the Lipid Phase images by the In-phase images. Simultaneously, 3D liver contours are extracted from the In-phase images. These crucial components are seamlessly integrated to construct a comprehensive 3D-LFF distribution model. This technique is not limited to healthy livers but extends to those afflicted by hepatic steatosis. The results obtained demonstrate the remarkable effectiveness of this approach in both visualizing and quantifying liver fat content. It distinctly discerns patterns that differentiate between normal and steatotic livers. By harnessing Dixon MRI to extract the 3D structure of the liver, this method offers precise LFF assessments spanning the entirety of the organ, thereby holding great promise for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis with remarkable effectiveness.

Author Spotlight: A Non-Invasive Tool to Assess and Differentiate Fat Patterns in Liver Using 3D Dixon MRI 

A 3D Quantification Technique for Liver Fat Fraction Distribution Analysis Using Dixon Magnetic Resonance Imaging

This study developed a 3D Dixon MRI technique to precisely quantify liver fat distribution, aiming to validate its efficacy as an accurate, non-invasive tool for assessing and differentiating fat patterns in normal versus steatotic livers. Recent advances in MRI fat quantification include normal 3D distribution modeling approaches, integrating Dixon Imaging with liver structure segmentation to enable precise visualization and environment of liver fat fraction patterns. Integrating AI-driven medical imaging, deep learning, 3D visualization, and a multimodal data fusion enhances whole liver modeling and steatotic assessment, facilitating precise clinic decision-making.Current experimental challenges include standardizing computational workflows, addressing variations in equipment and protocols, and elucidating the mechanisms of disease progression in hepatic steatosis research. Our protocol offers the advantage of 3D liver fat fraction assessment, surpassing the 2D techniques. The findings will advance research in our field by offering a comprehensive and accurate 3D LFF assessment of different stages of fatty liver disease, which is crucial for treatment decisions and prognosis evaluation.

This investigation utilizes actual patient datasets acquired using a commercially available MRI scanner to validate the 3D liver fat fraction quantification methodology (Figure 1). The MRI protocol included Dixon&#39;s four-phase imaging9,10: In-phase, Out-of-phase, Water-only, and Fat-only (Figure 2). The fat fraction (FF) of each voxel is computed by dividing the In-phase minus Water-only voxel signal ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Non-Invasive Tool to Assess and Differentiate Fat Patterns in Liver Using 3D Dixon MRI at JoVE.com

This study introduces a unique 3D quantification method for liver fat fraction (LFF) distribution using Dixon Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Dixon MRI). LFF maps, derived from in-phase and water-phase images, are integrated with 3D liver contours to differentiate LFF patterns between normal and steatotic livers, enabling precise assessment of liver fat content.

This study presents a 3D quantification methodology for the distribution of liver fat fraction (LFF) through the utilization of Dixon MRI image analysis. ...

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Data Collection from Patient Liver-MRI Datasets to Validate the 3D Liver Fat Fraction Quantification

To begin checking the Dixon sequence for the upper abdomen, create a customized working directory and copy all DICOM data to the created directory. Then go to the directory housing the data within MATLAB's current working directory. Change the directory to access folders for different phases, like in-phase, out-phase, water and fat phases.Utilize the Slice_View function to view the image for each phase. Use the MRI Dixon in-phase sequence to enhance descriptions of liver tissue boundaries. Right-click on the color bar and select the option from the pop-up menu to switch to the standard gray color map and reset the entire GUI.After zooming the image appropriately, Use the Mark Pixel Coordinates feature to calculate the distance between two points, aiding in the measurement of nodule sizes. Employ the scroll bar situated at the bottom of the graphic user interface, or GUI, to navigate through the various sequences efficiently. If the default filter window is not suitable, adjust it by dragging it up and down in the middle of the figure, using the left mouse button to modify the window level.

Extracting the 3D Region of the Liver and Computing Liver Fat Fraction Using MRI-Dixon Data

To begin extracting the 3D region of the liver from the Dixon MRI data, open the Mimics software and choose new project. In the subsequent dialogue box, locate the folder housing the Dixon out phase images. Click on next, then click on continue, and then hit convert to enter the sequence editing mode.Click on new within the mask dialogue box situated on the right hand side to generate an empty mask and opt for the maximum threshold. Use the edit masks tool located under the segment label to delineate the liver area in all horizontal views. Choose the liver mask depicted earlier and click on calculate part from the mask to create a 3D spatial representation of the liver.Navigate to file, then select export, and choose the DICOM option. In the pop-up dialogue box, select the liver mask, specify the file path and names, and then click on OK to export the 3D liver region to the designated DICOM files. Change the directory to the folder of in phase images and select the Volume_In function to generate the in phase volume.Change the directory to the folder of water only images and select the Volume_Water function to generate the water only volume. Select the FF volume function and use the two volumes previously generated as inputs to obtain the FF volume of the abdominal MRI. Utilize the LFF function, providing it with the 3D liver region and the liver stiffness map as input parameters.Run the LFF distribution function using the identical input parameters as LFF volume to produce the spatial distribution of the 3D liver fat fraction. Fusing the 3D liver contour with the 2D FF map generated an integrated 3D FF distribution model. This revealed fat fraction values at different liver positions, enabling precise measurement of the proportion of the liver at various steatosis levels.Comparison between a normal and fatty liver validated the technique's ability to discern different 3D LFF distribution patterns.