Hepatic　steatosis　is　an　abnormal　state　where　excess　lipid　mass　is　accumulated　in　hepatocyte　vesicles.　Backscattered　ultrasound　signals　received　from　the　liver　contain　useful　information　regarding　the　degree　of　steatosis　in　the　liver.　The　homodyned-K　(HK)　distribution　has　been　demonstrated　as　a　general　model　for　ultrasound　backscattering.　The　estimator　based　on　the　first　three　integer　moments　(denoted　as　＇＇FTM＂)　of　the　intensity　has　potential　for　practical　applications　because　of　its　simplicity　and　low　computational　complexity.　This　study　explored　the　diagnostic　performance　of　HK　parametric　imaging　based　on　the　FTM　method　in　the　assessment　of　hepatic　steatosis.　Phantom　experiments　were　initially　conducted　using　the　sliding　window　technique　to　determine　an　appropriate　window　size　length　(WSL)　for　HK　parametric　imaging.　Subsequently,　hepatic　steatosis　was　induced　in　male　Wistar　rats　fed　a　methionine-and　choline-deficient　(MCD)　diet　for　0　(i.e.,　normal　control),　1,　2,　4,　6,　and　8　weeks　(n　=　36;　six　rats　in　each　group).　After　completing　the　scheduled　MCD　diet,　ultrasound　B-mode　and　HK　imaging　of　the　rat　livers　were　performed　in　vivo　and　histopathological　examinations　were　conducted　to　score　the　degree　of　hepatic　steatosis.　HK　parameters　mu　(related　to　scatterer　number　density)　and　k　(related　to　scatterer　periodicity)　were　expressed　as　functions　of　the　steatosis　stage　in　terms　of　the　median　and　interquartile　range　(IQR).　Receiver　operating　characteristic　(ROC)　curve　analysis　was　conducted　to　assess　the　diagnostic　performance　levels　of　the　mu　and　k　parameters.　The　results　showed　that　an　appropriate　WSL　for　HK　parametric　imaging　is　seven　times　the　pulse　length　of　the　transducer.　The　median　value　of　the　mu　parameter　increased　monotonically　from　0.194　(IQR:　0.18-0.23)　to　0.893　(IQR:　0.64-1.04)　as　the　steatosis　stage　increased.　Concurrently,　the　median　value　of　the　k　parameter　increased　from　0.279　(IQR:　0.26-0.31)　to　0.5　(IQR:　0.41-0.54)　in　the　early　stages　(normal　to　mild)　and　decreased　to　0.39　(IQR:　0.29-0.45)　in　the　advanced　stages　(moderate　to　severe).　The　areas　under　the　ROC　curves　obtained　using　(mu,　k)　were　(0.947,　0.804),　(0.914,　0.575),　and　(0.813,　0.604)　for　the　steatosis　stages　of　＞=　mild,　＞=　moderate,　and　＞=　severe,　respectively.　The　current　findings　suggest　that　ultrasound　HK　parametric　imaging　based　on　FTM　estimation　has　great　potential　for　future　clinical　diagnoses　of　hepatic　steatosis.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.