Brief Article
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 28, 2010; 16(16): 1993-1998
Published online Apr 28, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i16.1993
MRI-determined fat content of human liver, pancreas and kidney
Paul E Sijens, Mireille A Edens, Stephan JL Bakker, Ronald P Stolk
Paul E Sijens, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Mireille A Edens, Ronald P Stolk, Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Stephan JL Bakker, Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Author contributions: Sijens PE, Bakker SJL and Stolk RP designed the study; Sijens PE and Edens MA performed the measurements and analyses; Sijens PE wrote the manuscript; Edens MA, Bakker SJL and Stolk RP edited the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Dr. Paul E Sijens, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen, room Y3.313, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. p.e.sijens@rad.umcg.nl
Telephone: +31-50-3613534 Fax: +31-50-3611798
Received: October 15, 2009
Revised: December 1, 2009
Accepted: December 8, 2009
Published online: April 28, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To assess and correlate the lipid content of various organs in obese subjects and in persons with a normal body weight.

METHODS: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and a previously validated gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging method with Dixon’s two point technique were used in this study to quantify fat in liver, pancreas as well as kidney.

RESULTS: In 36 volunteers with body mass index (BMI) ranging from 20.0 to 42.9 kg/m2, the median fat content of liver, pancreas and kidney was 2.3% (interquartile range: 0.2%-7.8%), 2.7% (1.0%-6.5%) and 0.7% (0.1%-1.4%), respectively. BMI and subcutaneous fat correlated significantly with liver and pancreas fat content. We show for the first time the significant correlation of liver and pancreas fat content in healthy controls (r = 0.43, P < 0.01). These observations are related to body weight as measured by BMI and the amount of subcutaneous fat. Kidney fat content is very low and correlates with none of the other fat depots.

CONCLUSION: Renal lipid accumulation, unlike the coupled accumulations of fat in liver and pancreas, is not observed in obese subjects. Unlike suggestions made in previous studies, renal lipid accumulation appears not to be involved in the pathogenesis of renal disease in humans.

Keywords: Lipids; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Kidney; Liver; Pancreas