DEVELOPMENT OF A RAPID AND EFFICIENT MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING TECHNIQUE FOR ANALYSIS OF BODY-FAT DISTRIBUTION

Fast scan magnetic resonance imaging techniques for adipose tissue (AT ) quantification were compared to a conventional T-1-weighted spin-ech o (SE) sequence (TR=500 ms, TE=20 ms), imaging a mid-abdominal slice. A rapid T-1-weighted SE sequence (TR=36 ms, TE=14 ms) was optimal, wit h minimal distortion (field, motion, flow artefact). Tissue contrast w as higher and visceral AT was clearly differentiated, Quantification o f all AT compartments (total, subcutaneous, internal, visceral) showed close agreement with the T-1-weighted SE sequence and reproducibility was high (coefficient of variation <4.7%). For AT quantification In a whole subject, this fast technique allows each image to be acquired s erially at the magnet isocentre, as the subject is moved through the s canner (serial isocentre scanning, SIS). This method provides minimal image distortion and allows rapid coverage of the whole body.