Hepatic fat quantification using automated six-point Dixon methods: comparison with conventional chemical shift based gradient-echo sequences and computed tomography.

To compare automated six-point-Dixon(6-p-Dixon) with dual-echo GRE chemical shift imaging(CSI) for quantification of hepatic fat fraction(FF) with CT. In a phantom study, various FF vials were performed to validate the accuracy. In clinical study, fifty-nine patients were examined both 3.0T MRI and CT. Quantitative measurements were calculated SI-index of CSI and imaging-FF of 3D-6-p-Dixon. In phantom study, linear regression between FF and imaging-FF/SI-index showed good agreement(imaging-FF R²=0.992:0-100%FF;SI-index R²=0.978:0-34.7%FF). In clinical study, linear regression between imaging-FF and SI-index showed good agreement(R²=0.890). CT attenuation value was strongly correlated with imaging-FF(R²=0.852) and SI-index(R²=0.812). Imaging-FF of 6-p-Dixon has potential for automated hepatic fat quantification.