Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis with CT and Correlation with Anthropometric Measurements

The aim of the study was to evaluate hepatic steatosis in an asymptomatic group of patients with unenhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) and to compare the results with anthropometric measurements.

The study included 617 patients aged 18-93 years, who underwent unenhanced abdominopelvic CT between January 2016 and December 2017. Three imaging criteria were used in the assessment of hepatic steatosis on CT: mean region of interest (ROI) value of measured liver lobe (40 HU ≥), mean ROI value of measured liver lobe / measured spleen mean ROI value (1 ≥), mean ROI value of measured liver lobe - mean ROI value of spleen (10 HU≥). The liver fat was quantitatively assessed both visually and using multidetector CT grading. The anthropometric measurements used were the size of the liver and spleen, abdominal anterior-posterior diameter, abdominal transverse diameter, abdominal circumference, subcutaneous adipose tissue area, and anterior, posterior, and posterolateral subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness.

The prevalence of hepatic steatosis was 29.3% according to the visual evaluation, 29.8% according to the quantitative evaluation, 67.1% according to at least one criterion and 23.3% according to at least two criteria. A positive correlation was determined between hepatic steatosis and anthropometric measurements. Differences between the genders were observed in both hepatic steatosis and anthropometric measurements.

By setting more objective criteria for evaluation, with the possibility of quantitative analysis in particular, non-contrast CT will have a more important role in assessing liver fat in the future.