Detailed pathophysiological manifestations of early disease in the context of prediabetes are poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of early signs of metabolic and cardio-cerebrovascular complications affecting multiple organs in individuals with prediabetes. Subjects without a history of stroke, coronary artery disease, or peripheral artery disease were enrolled in a case-control study nested within the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) FF4 cohort and underwent comprehensive MRI assessment to characterize cerebral parameters (white matter lesions, microbleeds), cardiovascular parameters (carotid plaque, left ventricular function, and myocardial late gadolinium enhancement [LGE]), and metabolic parameters (hepatic proton-density fat fraction [PDFF] and subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fat). Among 400 subjects who underwent MRI, 103 subjects had prediabetes and 54 had established diabetes. Subjects with prediabetes had an increased risk for carotid plaque and adverse functional cardiac parameters, including reduced early diastolic filling rates as well as a higher prevalence of LGE compared with healthy control subjects. In addition, people with prediabetes had significantly elevated levels of PDFF and total and visceral fat. Thus, subjects with prediabetes show early signs of subclinical disease that include vascular, cardiac, and metabolic changes, as measured by whole-body MRI after adjusting for cardiometabolic risk factors.

Background/ObjectiveDespite the relevance of pancreatic fat content in the development of metabolic diseases, its association with impaired glucose metabolism, diabetes, and other adipose tissue compartments remains unclear. Thus, we determined differences in pancreatic fat content by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between subjects with prediabetes, diabetes, and normal controls in a cohort from the general population.MethodsSubjects without history of cardiovascular disease with established diabetes or prediabetes as well as normal controls were included and underwent whole-body MRI on a 3T scanner. Pancreatic fat content was quantified by measuring the proton-density fat fraction (PDFFpanc) using a 3D multi-echo GRE sequence (increment: 1.23 ms, 6 echoes) by placing ROIs in the pancreatic head, body, and tail by independent readers. In addition, hepatic fat content as well as abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (SAT and VAT) were measured by multi-echo GRE and 3D 2-point volume-interpolated DIXON MRI, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to determine associations.ResultsA total of 385 subjects were included in the analysis (median age: 57 years, 58.2% males), of them 53 were classified as subjects with diabetes, 95 as prediabetes, and 237 as controls (13.8%, 24.7%, and 61.6%; respectively). The median PDFFpanc was 5.2% [IQR 3.3–9.4], and significantly higher in subjects with prediabetes and diabetes as compared to controls (PDFFpanc: 6.2% [IQR: 3.5–12] vs. 8.6% [IQR: 4.3–17.5] vs. 4.9% [3.1–7.4], p<0.001, respectively). After adjusting for age, gender and BMI the association was attenuated (all p>0.12). While in univariate analysis BMI, PDFFhepatic, SAT and VAT were associated with PDFFpanc (all p<0.05), only VAT predicted PDFFpanc independently (β: 0.02, 95%-confidence interval: 0.01–0.04, p<0.001).ConclusionWhile pancreatic fat content differs significantly between subjects with prediabetes, diabetes and controls, this association may be confounded by age, gender, and the amount of VAT in this cross-sectional study.

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Objectives To determine the diagnostic performance, cutoff values, and optimal drive frequency range for staging hepatic fibrosis using tomoelastography by multifrequency MR elastography of the liver and spleen. Methods This prospective study consecutively enrolled a total of 61 subjects between June 2014 and April 2017: 45 patients with chronic liver disease and proven stage of fibrosis and 16 healthy volunteers. Tomoelastography was performed at 1.5 T using six drive frequencies from 35 to 60 Hz. Cutoff values and AUC were calculated. Shear wave speed (in m/s) of the liver and spleen was assessed separately and in combination as a surrogate of stiffness. Results For compound multifrequency processing of the liver, cutoff and AUC values by fibrosis stage were as follows: F1, 1.52 m/s and 0.89; F2, 1.55 m/s and 0.94; F3, 1.67 m/s and 0.98; and F4, 1.72 m/s and 0.98. Diagnostic performance of the best single drive frequencies (45 Hz, 55 Hz, 60 Hz) was similar (mean AUC = 0.95, respectively). Combined analysis of the liver and spleen slightly improved performance at 60 Hz in F4 patients (mean AUC = 0.97 vs. 0.95, p = 0.03). Full-field-of-view elastograms displayed not only the liver and spleen but also small anatomical structures including the pancreas and major vessels. Conclusion Tomoelastography provides full-field-of-view elastograms with unprecedented detail resolution and excellent diagnostic accuracy for staging hepatic fibrosis. Our analysis of single-frequency tomoelastography suggests that scan time can be further reduced in future studies, making tomoelastography easier to implement in clinical routine. Key Points • Tomoelastography provides full-field-of-view elastograms of the abdomen with unprecedented detail resolution and excellent diagnostic accuracy for staging hepatic fibrosis. • Diagnostic performance of single-frequency tomoelastography at higher frequencies (45 Hz, 55 Hz, 60 Hz) and compound multifrequency processing are equivalent for staging hepatic fibrosis. • Combined assessment of hepatic and splenic stiffness slightly improves diagnostic performance for staging hepatic fibrosis.