Effects of gender, age, and body mass index on fat contents and apparent diffusion coefficients in healthy parotid glands: An MRI evaluation
Journal
European Radiology
Journal Volume
24
Journal Issue
9
Pages
2069-2076
Date Issued
2014
Author(s)
Chang, H.-C.
Juan, C.-J.
Chiu, H.-C.
Cheng, C.-C.
Chiu, S.-C.
Liu, Y.-J.
Chung, H.-W.
Hsu, H.-H.
Abstract
Objectives: To establish standard apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and the fat content as a function of age, gender and body mass index (BMI) in healthy parotid glands, and to address the influences of fat suppression on ADC measurements. Methods: A total of 100 healthy adults (gender and age evenly distributed) were prospectively recruited, with parotid fat content measured from gradient-echo images with fat-water separated using iterative decomposition with echo asymmetry and least squares (IDEAL). The ADCs were estimated using both fat-saturated and non-fat-saturated diffusion-weighted imaging via a periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) technique. Results: Parotid fat content was larger in men than in women by about 10 percentage points (P<0.005), and positively associated with BMI and age for both genders (mostly with P<0.001). ADCs estimated with non-fat-saturated PROPELLER were significantly lower in men than in women (P<0.005), but showed no gender difference if measured using fat-saturated PROPELLER (P=0.840). The negative association between parotid ADC and age/BMI/fat (P<0.001) showed greater regression slopes in non-fat-saturated PROPELLER than in fat-saturated data. Conclusions: Parotid fat content in healthy adults correlates positively with both age and BMI; the correlation with age is gender-dependent. Parotid ADC measurements are strongly influenced by fat saturation. Key Points: ? Parotid fat content in healthy adults correlates positively with age and BMI. ? The rate of aging-related increase in fat contents is gender-dependent. ? Parotid ADC measurements are strongly influenced by fat saturation. ? 2014 European Society of Radiology.
Subjects
Fat saturation; IDEAL fat-water separation; Parotid ADC measurement; Parotid fat content; PROPELLER
Other Subjects
adipose tissue; adult; age; anatomy and histology; body mass; diffusion weighted imaging; female; human; male; middle aged; parotid gland; procedures; prospective study; reference value; sex difference; three dimensional imaging; very elderly; Adipose Tissue; Adult; Age Factors; Aged, 80 and over; Body Mass Index; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Female; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Male; Middle Aged; Parotid Gland; Prospective Studies; Reference Values; Sex Factors
Type
journal article