Can Gd-EOB-DTPA Affect Proton Density Fat Fraction Using 6-Point DIXON Methods? A Multicenter, Multivendor Phantom Study

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) on proton density fat fraction (PDFF) using multiple vendors’ DIXON methods in a multicenter, multivendor phantom study. Materials and Methods: Pairs of phantoms with varying fat volume percentages (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50) and Gd-EOB-DTPA concentrations (0 and 0.4 mM) were constructed. The phantom without Gd-EOB-DTPA in each pair was defined as the precontrast phantom, and the corresponding phantom with Gd-EOB-DTPA in each pair was defined as the postcontrast phantom. The phantoms were scanned via three vendors’ DIXON techniques to determine PDFFs. Agreement between PDFFs determined in precontrast and postcontrast phantoms was evaluated via Bland–Altman analysis. Results: Mean differences (precontrast PDFF - postcontrast PDFF) and limits of agreement were Philips 5.1% (−0.8% to 11.0%), Siemens 6.1% (−0.9% to 13.1%), and GE 1.3% (−1.2% to 3.9%). Conclusions: PDFFs measured using the three vendors’ DIXON techniques were smaller in the postcontrast phantoms than in the corresponding precontrast phantoms regardless of different scanning parameters, because T1 bias was improved by Gd-EOB-DTPA.