The aim of this report was to assess the changes in the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake of brown fats on integrated positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging. The patient presented with an enlargement of the neck lymph nodes, and was suspicious for tuberculous lymphadenitis. A whole body PET/CT imaging was performed, followed by a delayed imaging of the neck and thoracic regions. A visually increased 18F-FDG uptake was taken as a positive finding. A semi-quantitative evaluation was performed using a maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax), with a cut-off value above 2.5. There were a number of 18F-FDG avid activity areas seen at the supraclavicular, mediastinal, paravertebral and perirenal regions. These are in keeping with the physiological 18F-FDG uptake in brown fat. The differences in SUVmax between the two images ranged from -20 percent to +20 percent. Based on our observations, dual time point imaging may not be a reliable method for assessing the 18F-FDG uptake of brown fat.
Adipose Tissue, Brown ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Adult ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; methods ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node ; diagnostic imaging

We carried out experiments with B-scan technology, computer image processing technology and statistical analysis, to extract feature parameters from histogram of different organizations in order to establish prediction methods of the meat quality of pigs. We then Explored and solved the assessment problems of intramuscular fat (IMF) content, to provide reference standards of using ultrasound for the classification of pork.
Adipose Tissue ; diagnostic imaging ; Animals ; Meat ; analysis ; standards ; Muscle, Skeletal ; chemistry ; diagnostic imaging ; Quality Control ; Swine ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVEAn improved water-fat separation method based on region-growing was proposed for use in regions with low signal-noise ratio (SNR).

METHODSRegion-growing method was applied to 4 sub-images acquired by a down- sampling operation on the acquired phasor maps. The spatial smoothing constraint was exploited to calculate 4 error phasor maps to construct the final smooth error phasor map, which was used in two-point Dixon technique for water-fat separation.

RESULTSThe simulation experiment showed that the proposed method produced smaller errors, and for clinical images of the knees, abdomen and lower limbs, the proposed method achieved accurate water-fat separations.

CONCLUSIONThe proposed method is more robust and reliable than the original global region-growing algorithm, and serves as a promising water-fat separation method for clinical applications.

Abdomen ; diagnostic imaging ; Adipose Tissue ; diagnostic imaging ; Algorithms ; Body Water ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Knee ; diagnostic imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of volumetric measurement of pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) and intrathoracic adipose tissue (IAT) using coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), and explore the characteristics of PAT and IAT distribution.

METHODSThe CTA images of 109 patients (aged 59.1∓11.7 years) with a clinical diagnosis of coronary heart disease were analyzed. The volumes of PAT and IAT were measured using the axial data from the base to the apex traced manually with the dedicated semiautomatic software program Volume. The related factors and gender difference of PAT and IAT were analyzed.

RESULTSThe pericardium was clearly defined on CTA images and the volumes of PAT and IAT were measured accurately in all the cases. The volumes of PAT and IAT were positively correlated to body weight and body mass index (BMI) but independent of age, and IAT was positive correlated to the body height. The IAT of male patients was 67% higher than that of female patients (P<0.05), whereas no such a difference was found in PAT (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCTA-based semiautomatic segmentation for volumetric quantification of PAT and IAT is highly accurate. The volumes of PAT and IAT are positively correlated to body weight and BMI, and PAT volume exhibits no statistical difference between male and female patients with coronary heart disease.

Adipose Tissue ; diagnostic imaging ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pericardium ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of exogenous fat on the bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine (LS) on a phantom measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) Hologic QDR4500A. METHODS: LS DXA scans were performed on an LS phantom, and were repeated when with lard packets (2 fresh lard packets and 2 refined lard packets, 5 cm or 10 cm thick). RESULTS: After fresh lard packets were placed, only L1 BMD decreased significantly (P<0.05).When the 5 cm-thick refined lard packet was placed, BMD, bone mineral content (BMC),and bone area (BA) decreased obviously, but with the 10 cm-thick refined lard packet, BMD, BMC and BA decreased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION The exogenous fat may affect LS BMD of lumbar spine phantom by DXA Hologic QDR4500A, with significant decrease of the value,which may cause anomaly measurement of BMD in obese people and even misdiagnosis of osteoporosis.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adipose Tissue ; diagnostic imaging ; Body Composition ; Bone Density ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Models, Biological ; Osteoporosis ; diagnostic imaging

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the application of ultrasonography in the detection of nasal interdomal fat pad (IFP).

METHODSThirty-eight patients who underwent open rhinoplasty and other surgeries in our hospital were enrolled in this study. All patients were studied by ultrasonography to evaluate the shape, structure, size, and location of IFP. The results of ultrasonography were compared with intraoperative findings.

RESULTSThe boundaries between IFP and the subcutaneous fat were clear under ultrasonography in 32 patients (84.2%), but were not clear in 6 patients (15.8%) who had undergone injection rhinoplasty (n=2) or augmentation rhinoplasty (n=4). As shown by ultrasonography,the average length,width,and height of IFP were (11.81∓1.28) mm, (2.49∓0.57) mm, and (1.90∓0.61) mm, respectively,which were not significantly different between male and female patients (P>0.05). In addition, the length, width, and height of IFP were significantly larger in nasorostral hypertrophy group than in normal group (P0.05).

CONCLUSIONUltrasonography can accurately evaluate the size and morphology of IFP pre-operatively, and therefore is helpful to ensure the success of rhinoplasty.

Adipose Tissue ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nose ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Preoperative Care ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the significance and images characters of ultrasound and mammography in the diagnosis of fat necrosis after fat transplantation in breasts(FTB).

METHODSFrom June 2005 to June 2012, 13 cases with 96 fat necrosis lumps after FTB, were retrospectively reviewed. The pre-operative images of ultrasound and mammography, as well as the post-operative histologic results were collected.

RESULTSAll the 96 lumps were histologically diagnosed as fat necrosis. They were lipo-necrotic cysts with thin wall(29 lumps), or thick wall(52 lumps), or no wall(15 lumps). The cysts with wall could be distinguished both in the images of ultrasound and mammography, but the cysts without wall could only be found in mammography images, not in ultrasound images.

CONCLUSIONSMost fat necrosis lesions show a special cystic images with thin or thick wall in ultrasound and mammography. Irregular lesions without wall can be distinguished in the mammography images, but may be mis-diagnosed in the images of ultrasound. The images characters of fat necrosis lesions in mammography are not confused with the breast tumor.

Adipose Tissue ; transplantation ; Adult ; Breast Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Fat Necrosis ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Mammography ; adverse effects ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography, Mammary ; methods

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy of Jianbu Tongluo Xunzheng Liquid (JTXL) in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and to explore the correlation between changes of infrapatellar fat pad scanned by CT and the efficacy.

METHODSTotally 105 KOA outpatients were randomly assigned to three groups, i.e., the treatment group, the control group, and the combination group, 35 in each group. Patients in the treatment group were fumigated by JTXL, 30 min each time, once daily, 10 times as a course of treatment, 3 courses in total. Those in the control group received intra-articular injection of Sodium Hyaluronate Injection (SHI), 3 mL each time, once per 6 days, 5 times in total. Those in the combination group were treated by fumigation of JTXL + intra-articular injection of SHI in the same way as the aforesaid two groups. All patients were treated for 30 days. Their clinical efficacy and changes of infrapatellar fat pad scanned by CT were observed, and their correlation was analyzed.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 88.57% in the combination group, better than that of the control group (74.29%) and the treatment group (80.00%; both P < 0.05). Besides, the score for knee joint functions at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) was better in the combination group than the other two groups (P < 0.05). The anteroposterior diameter, exterior-interior diameter, the superior-inferior diameter were shortened, and the density decreased in the treatment group and the combination group (P < 0.05). Besides, they were superior to those of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSChanges of infrapatellar fat pad scanned by CT only existed in the combination group and the treatment group, indicating changes of CT scanning was only correlated with effect on changing physicochemical properties of infrapatellar fat pad. Treatment by Chinese medicine could omnipotently and balanced regulate functions and structures of every tissue. Therefore, CT could be taken as a better method for clinical efficacy observation by Chinese medicine.

Adipose Tissue ; diagnostic imaging ; Adult ; Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; Patella ; diagnostic imaging ; Phytotherapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical characteristics of left ventricular fat replacement.

METHODSWe identified 45 patients [28M/17F, mean age (51.9 ± 14.7) years] with left ventricular myocardial fat replacement (CT value ≤ -30 Hu) by cardiovascular CT.

RESULTSAmong 45 patients, 25 patients [20M/5F, mean age (61.2 ± 10.4) years]were diagnosed as coronary artery disease (CAD). There was 56%single-vessel disease, 20% double-vessel disease and 24%triple-vessel disease, true left ventricular aneurysm was detected in 3 patients and left ventricular thrombi in 1 patient, the dimension of left ventricle was (54.5 ± 9.4) mm and the LVEF was (51.8 ± 13)% in CAD group. In this group, fat replacement occurred in the region of myocardial infarction and presented as curvilinear band in subendocardial region. The left ventricular wall thickness was lower than 5 mm in 21 cases. The location of fat replacement in CAD group is as follows: apical region in 18 patients, distal septal in 15 patients, distal anterior in 11 patients, mid-septal in 7 patients, mid-anterior in 7 patients and basal in 1 patients. The age of remaining 20 patients (8M/12F) without CAD were (57.8 ± 13.3) years. In the group of non-CAD, dilated cardiomyopathy was diagnosed in 3 patients, atrial septal defect in 1 patient, rheumatic heart disease in 1 patient, there was no structural heart disease in the remaining 15 patients. The dimension of left ventricle was (51.1 ± 9.1) mm and the LVEF was (59.4 ± 13.9)%. In non-CAD group, fat replacement mainly occurred in septal region, presented as curvilinear band in 17 patients and patch in 3 patients. The location of fat replacement in this group is as follows: mid-septal region in 11 patients, distal-septal in 10 patients and apical in 9 patients. The intramural fat replacement was detected in 14 patients: subendocardial fat replacement in 10 patients and both intramural and subendocardial fat replacement in 4 patients.

CONCLUSIONSLeft ventricular fat replacement could be documented in CAD patients, non-CAD cardiomyopathy patients and in patients without structural heart disease. Left ventricular fat replacement often positioned in apical region in CAD patients as a consequence of infarct healing while mostly positioned in septal region in non-CAD patients, the definite clinical implication of left ventricular fat replacement in non-CAD patients remains to be clarified.

Adipocytes ; cytology ; Adipose Tissue ; physiopathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnostic imaging ; Myocardium ; cytology ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology

Objective: To explore the association between inflammation activity of left atrial epicardial adipose tissue (LA-EAT) measured by ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: A total of 78 patients with AF, who underwent ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in the Nuclear Medicine Department of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University due to abnormally elevated levels of tumor indicators or malignant tumors from March 2018 to December 2019, were enrolled in this retrospective study. According to the examination date of PET/CT and basic characteristics of AF patients (gender, age), a 1∶1 propensity score matching was used to enroll a non-AF control group (78 patients). The maximum standard uptake value of left atrial epicardial tissue (LA-EAT FDG SUV_max) and total EAT volume (V-EAT) were measured by ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left atrial diameter (LAD) were obtained by echocardiography. Blood lipids and biomarkers of inflammation were measured. The differences of clinical data and EAT-related indicators were compared between the AF group and control group. Logistic multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the related factors of AF. Then the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the cutoff value of LA-EAT FDG SUV_max on the diagnosis of AF. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the relationship between the increase of LA-EAT FDG SUV_max and AF. Results: The age was (66.9±10.2) years and there were 55 males (70.5%) in the AF group. The age was (66.9±8.0) years, and there were 52 males (66.7%) in the control group (both P>0.05). The LAD ((44.2±5.8) mm vs. (35.4±4.4) mm), V-EAT ((122.1±42.0) cm³ vs. (91.6±34.5) cm³), and LA-EAT FDG SUV_max ((1.6±0.3) vs. (1.4±0.2)) values were significantly higher, while LVEF ((60.1±4.7)% vs. (63.9±2.9)%) was lower in the AF group than in the control group (P all<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that LAD (OR=1.340, 95%CI 1.195-1.502), V-EAT (OR=1.016, 95%CI 1.001-1.031), and LA-EAT FDG SUV_max (OR=1.375, 95%CI 1.095-1.723) were positively correlated with AF, LVEF (OR=0.781, 95%CI 0.659-0.926) was negatively correlated with AF(P all<0.05). The area under the ROC curve of LA-EAT FDG SUV_max for diagnosis of AF was 0.680 (95%CI 0.597-0.764, P<0.001), and the best cut-off value was 1.415 with a sensitivity of 65.4% and specificity of 61.5%. After adjusting for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LVEF, LAD and V-EAT, LA-EAT FDG SUV_max≥1.415 was independently associated with AF (OR=2.982, 95%CI 1.122-7.926, P=0.010). Conclusions: The inflammatory activity of LA-EAT measured by ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT is an independent risk factor of AF, and the increased inflammatory activity of LA-EAT is positively correlated with AF.
Adipose Tissue/diagnostic imaging* ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation/diagnostic imaging* ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Inflammation/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Function, Left