Gavin Hamilton1, Michael S. Middleton1,
Takeshi Yokoo1, Mark Bydder1, Irene W. Mwangi1,
Michael E. Schroeder1, Claude B. Sirlin1
1Department of Radiology, University of
California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
Accurate
proton (1H) MRS fat quantification of liver fat requires
determination of signal from fat peaks that are near or under the water peak.
A theoretical triglyceride model was developed to characterize the liver fat
spectrum, using number of -CH=CH- and -CH=CH-CH2-CH=CH- bonds, and
average fatty acid chain length. In vivo, the relative areas of the different
fat peaks are strongly correlated suggesting the fat profile is uniform
regardless of the level of fat deposition in the liver. The model gives that 8.6% of the total
liver fat underlies the water peak.