The Correlation between Type 2 Diabetes and Fat Fraction in Liver and Pancreas: A Study using MR Dixon Technique

The increased obesity results in ectopic fat deposits in liver and pancreas, which will affect insulin resistance and elevated plasma glucose with type 2 diabetes. To assess the relationship between obesity and ectopic fat deposits and diabetes, this study used the MR Dixon method for the quantification of liver and pancreas fat fraction (FF) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and healthy controls.

The FF of whole liver (FFWL) and pancreas (FFWP), the maximum diameters of the pancreas, the abdominal subcutaneous adipose area (SAT), the visceral adipose tissue area (VAT), and the total abdominal adipose tissue area (TAT) were measured for 157 subjects using the MR Dixon data. Four groups were established on the basis of BMI value. For statistics, intra- and intergroup comparisons were made by employing independent sample t-test.

FFWL, FFWP, and VAT varied significantly between T2DM (BMI < 25) and control group (BMI < 25), T2DM (BMI ≥ 25) and control group (BMI ≥ 25), T2DM (BMI < 25) and T2DM (BMI ≥ 25) (all P < 0.05). The FF of pancreas tail, SAT, and TAT varied significantly between control group (BMI < 25) and control group (BMI ≥ 25) (P < 0.05). FFWP and the FF of pancreas tail varied significantly between T2DM and normal volunteers (P < 0.05), with normal or mild liver fat content.

The tissue FF, which has a close relationship with T2DM, can be assessed by the MR Dixon technique. T2DM patients should pay attention to tissue fat content regardless of BMI values.