Influence of Gadoxetate disodium to the hepatic proton density fat fraction quantified with the Dixon sequences in a rabbit model.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of Gx on quantification of hepatic fat contents under metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) imaged on VIBE Dixon in hepatobiliary specific phase. METHODS: Forty-two rabbits were randomly divided into control group (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;10) and high-fat diet group (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;32). Imaging was performed before enhancement (Pre-Gx) and at the 13th (Post-Gx13) and 17th (Post-Gx17) min after Gx enhancement with 2E- and 6E-VIBE Dixon to determine hepatic proton density fat fractions (PDFF). PDFFs were compared with vacuole percentage (VP) measured under histopathology. RESULTS: 33 animals were evaluated and including control group (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;11) and MASLD group (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;22). Pre-Gx, Post-Gx13, Post-Gx17 PDFFs under 6E-VIBE Dixon had strong correlations with VPs (r&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.8208-0.8536). PDFFs under 2E-VIBE Dixon were reduced significantly (P&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001) after enhancement (r&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.7991/0.8014) compared with that before enhancement (r&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.7643). There was no significant difference between PDFFs of Post-Gx13 and Post-Gx17 (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.123) for which the highest consistency being found with 6E-VIBE Dixon before enhancement (r&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.8536). The signal intensity of the precontrast compared with the postcontrast, water image under 2E-VIBE Dixon increased significantly (P&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001), fat image showed no significant difference (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.754). CONCLUSION: 2E- and 6E-VIBE Dixon can obtain accurate PDFFs in the hepatobiliary specific phase from 13 to 17th min after Gx enhancement. On 2E-VIBE Dixon (FA&#x2009;=&#x2009;10&#xb0;), effective minimization of T1 Bias by the Gx administration markedly improved the accuracy of the hepatic PDFF quantification.