Fatty liver MRI manifestations

Written by Shen Jiang Chao
Radiology
Updated on March 23, 2025
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Fatty liver, also known as hepatic steatosis, typically appears normal in most cases on MRI. However, a minority of cases may show high signals on T1 and T2. In fat-suppressed sequences, the high signals disappear after the fat is suppressed, appearing as low signal shadows. MRI has a specific sequence for examining fatty liver, known as the dual-echo sequence, which includes two sequences: one is the in-phase sequence and the other is called the opposed-phase sequence. The in-phase sequence examines the liver parenchyma, while a characteristic feature in the opposed-phase sequence is the significant decrease in signal in areas of fatty metamorphosis.

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What should be noted for mild fatty liver?

People with mild fatty liver also need to pay special attention to their diet. It is important to consume a light diet and avoid high-calorie and high-fat foods such as fatty meats, fried foods, and animal organs; these should be minimized in the diet and replaced with more fruits and vegetables. Additionally, it is recommended to increase physical activity, as exercise can metabolize fats and has a certain therapeutic effect on patients with fatty liver. Simultaneously, alcohol should be avoided, as it can damage liver cells. If a patient with fatty liver frequently consumes alcohol, it can exacerbate the condition and may also lead to elevated liver enzymes.

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Can people with fatty liver smoke?

Patients with fatty liver disease should also appropriately quit smoking or reduce the frequency of smoking. The treatment for severe fatty liver disease mainly includes a reasonable diet, appropriate exercise, as well as choosing to quit smoking and drinking, controlling diet properly, increasing physical exercise, removing the cause of the disease, and actively treating the primary disease. Although smoking mainly causes damage to the lungs, nicotine in cigarettes can also damage liver cells. When people with fatty liver disease smoke excessively, it can exacerbate the condition. It also damages liver cells, so people with fatty liver disease also need to quit smoking or reduce the frequency of smoking. People with fatty liver disease should regularly monitor liver function and undergo imaging tests of the liver to timely monitor the condition and actively enhance physical exercise to control the cause of the disease.

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Is fatty liver serious?

Is fatty liver serious? There are many causes of fatty liver, including obesity, medications, alcohol consumption, toxins, and malnutrition, all of which can lead to fatty liver. Generally, mild fatty liver can be reversed through proper diet and exercise. However, reversing severe fatty liver can be very difficult and challenging. At this time, patients need to have enduring stamina and confidence to cure fatty liver. The main approach is to strictly control the diet with low salt and low fat, avoiding greasy foods. Additionally, appropriate exercise is very important for eliminating fatty liver. Treating fatty liver cannot rely solely on medications, as this addresses the symptoms but not the root cause. Exercise is essential.

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Does having fatty liver and farting a lot mean expelling fat?

Fatty liver causing frequent flatulence does not involve expelling fats. The condition may be due to indigestion and rapid intestinal movements caused by the fatty liver. In such cases, further comprehensive auxiliary examinations are required, such as liver function tests, colonoscopy, hepatic imaging studies, and lipid tests to identify the causes of these symptoms and provide appropriate treatment based on those causes. Treatment can include the use of compound digestive enzymes to aid digestion, as well as medications like Bacillus cereus and Bifidobacterium tribacillus to regulate the gut flora. Patients with fatty liver should also control their diet by adopting a low-fat diet and engaging in feasible physical exercise and weight loss. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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What are the symptoms of fatty liver? Is fatty liver serious?

If you have fatty liver disease, the symptoms are essentially the same as those of chronic hepatitis B and C, which include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, aversion to oily foods, and fatigue. Additionally, patients with fatty liver disease may experience a sensation of swelling and pain in the liver area. At this point, further liver function tests such as measuring transaminase and bilirubin levels can be conducted, and performing a hepatobiliary ultrasound can definitively diagnose the condition. If the fatty liver is due to obesity, it is advisable to strictly control food intake and engage in active and reasonable exercise for weight loss, as fatty liver can be reversed. However, if the fatty liver is due to long-term excessive alcohol consumption, it is recommended to strictly quit smoking and drinking, combined with reasonable exercise and diet control, as fatty liver can also be reversed.