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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
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Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Skeletal Muscle Disease
Published on: December 18, 2016
SPIO-induced susceptibility effects on quantitative liver MRI: cross-method assessment of R2*, PDFF, T1 mapping, and
Sami A Ba-Ssalamah1, Sarah Poetter-Lang1, Ahmet Y Yitik1
1Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
European Journal of Radiology
|July 31, 2026
Summary
Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) significantly increases liver R2* and shortens T1 values, impacting MR spectroscopy fat quantification reliability. Multi-echo gradient-echo PDFF and MRE liver stiffness remain stable, aiding interpretation of quantitative liver MRI biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Quantitative Liver Assessment
- Biomarker Validation
Background:
- Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) is used to assess liver function and disease.
- Understanding SPIO's impact on quantitative MRI biomarkers is crucial for accurate interpretation.
- Multi-echo gradient-echo (ME-GRE) and MR spectroscopy (MRS) are common techniques for liver assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare hepatic and splenic R2* from 2D and 3D ME-GRE before and after SPIO administration.
- To evaluate SPIO's effects on proton density fat fraction (PDFF), MRS-derived PDFF, T1 mapping, and MRE-derived liver stiffness.
- To assess the reliability and agreement of these quantitative liver MRI biomarkers under SPIO influence.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 48 adult liver MRI scans at 3T before and after SPIO administration.
- Acquisition of hepatic and splenic R2* and PDFF using 2D and 3D ME-GRE.
- Assessment of MRS-derived PDFF, T1 mapping, and MRE-derived liver stiffness.
- Statistical evaluation including correlation, ICC, Bland-Altman analysis, and multivariable regression.
Main Results:
- SPIO administration markedly increased hepatic R2* (approx. 3.5-fold) and splenic R2* (approx. 2-fold).
- ME-GRE-based PDFF remained stable with good inter-method agreement; MRS-derived PDFF showed reduced reliability.
- Native hepatic T1 values decreased significantly (approx. 500 ms); MRE liver stiffness showed no significant change.
- Inter-method agreement for R2* deteriorated at higher values post-SPIO.
Conclusions:
- SPIO serves as a useful in vivo susceptibility model for evaluating quantitative liver MRI biomarkers.
- SPIO substantially increases hepatic R2*, impairs MRS fat quantification reliability, and shortens T1 values.
- ME-GRE PDFF and MRE liver stiffness demonstrate relative stability, aiding in the interpretation of SPIO-affected quantitative liver MRI data.
