Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: Fatty liver disease is a common cause of chronic liver disease affecting approximately one-third of the population. It is characterized by fatty infiltration of hepatocytes. It represents a spectrum of diseases including simple steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis. Ultrasonography, computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging can be used for the radiologic diagnosis of fatty liver. The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of US and dual echo magnetic resonance imaging in detecting fatty liver.METHODS: Magnetic resonance images and ultrasound reports obtained in the same 30 days of 112 patients out of 179 patients were evaluated retrospectively. Chemical shift-based dual echo in-phase and out-of-phase images were compared to sonographic findings for the presence of hepatic steatosis, the degree of steatosis and the extend of liver involvement. Signal intensity differences in in- and out-of-phase images were calculated to quantify the fat fraction in the liver.RESULTS: Out of 112 patients, 55 and 62 were diagnosed with fatty liver with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, respectively. The difference between two radiologic techniques in detecting steatosis was not statistically significant (p=0839). However, the difference between ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging with respect to the degree of liver steatosis and heterogeneity of liver involvement were statistically significant (p=0.004 and p

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