Evaluation of diffuse liver steatosis by ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging: which modality is best?

Purpose: To compare ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) determination of diffuse liver steatosis. Materials and methods: Quantification of liver steatosis on ultrasound, CT, and MRI was correlated with histopathology in 67 patients. Results: Opposed-phase MRI demonstrated the highest correlation with steatosis (0.68 and 0.69, P<.01; intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.93). Spearman's correlation (and intraclass correlation) coefficients were lowest for ultrasound [0.54, 0.33 (0.40)] and enhanced CT [0.33, 0.39 (0.97)]. Conclusion: Opposed-phase MRI demonstrated best overall performance for determining steatosis. Published by Elsevier Inc.