Exploring the difference of intra-pancreatic fat distribution in different duration of hyperglycemic patients by MRI multi-point Dixon method and its effect of glucose metabolism status

This study aimed to quantify intra-pancreatic fat distribution in patients with hyperglycemia using MRI multi-point Dixon method and to investigate the differences of fat distribution in different duration of patients and the effect of glucose metabolism status. Enrolled 189 hyperglycemic patients and divided them into three groups according to disease duration, the newly diagnosed group, and the previously diagnosed group (duration < 5 years, duration ≥ 5 years). Intra-pancreatic fat of patients from head, body, to tail were quantified using the MRI multi-point Dixon method. Compared the differences of regional intra-pancreatic fat distribution among the subgroups. Grouped according to quartiles of fat content in each region of pancreas, then compared the indexes of glucose metabolism status. Intra-pancreatic fat was higher in the previously diagnosed group than in the newly diagnosed group. Intra-pancreatic fat was unevenly distributed, compared them from head, body, and tail of the pancreas existed significant difference (p < 0.0001). Grouped according to quartiles of fat content in the head, body, and tail of the pancreas, in the process of increasing in each region, indexes of islet function were significantly different among the subgroups. In patients with hyperglycemia, intra-pancreatic fat gradually increased with disease duration, and showing a trait of dominantly fat distribution of pancreatic body and tail. Increased each region fat content of pancreas all affected islet function, and increased fat in the tail of pancreas affected the glycemic status of patients.