Change in signal intensity on MRI of fat in the head of markedly emaciated patients

Neuroradiology
K OkamotoS Tokiguchi

Abstract

The amount of fat in various parts of the body decreases in emaciated patients, but responds differently to disease processes. The order of disappearance of fat in various parts of the head has rarely been studied with MRI. We imaged ten patients with anorexia nervosa and one cachectic patient with a psychiatric disorder with a 1.5 T imager. Signal intensities of bone marrow of the skull, subcutaneous tissue, and orbits were assessed on T1- and T2-weighted images, and correlated with the body mass index (BMI) and haemoglobin concentration (Hb). On T1-weighted images, five patients (BMI 15.6-17.8 kg/m2, mean 16.6 kg/m2; Hb 10.1-14.2 g/dl, mean 13.8 g/dl) showed the normal pattern of fat. One (BMI 13.6 kg/m2, Hb 10.4 g/dl) lost the high signal of bone marrow, but high signal of subcutaneous tissue and the orbits was preserved. High signal from bone marrow and subcutaneous tissue disappeared in three patients (BMI 11.5-13.5 kg/m2, mean 12.5 kg/m2; Hb 7.9-9.7 g/dl, mean 8.7 g/dl), but orbital high signal was preserved. The remaining two patients (BMI 9.3 and 13.5 kg/m2, mean 11.5 kg/m2; Hb 7.6 and 8.9 g/dl, mean 8.3 g/dl) showed complete loss of high signal from fat in the head. The order of disappearance of fat (bone marrow, subcu...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 27, 2009·Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD·C PriceH Lacey
Jul 12, 2013·Radiographics : a Review Publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc·David J BowdenDaniel J Scoffings
Dec 17, 2010·Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound : the Official Journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·Ceri E SherlockTony S Blunden
Aug 6, 2009·Journal of Bone and Mineral Research : the Official Journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research·Kirsten EcklundCatherine M Gordon
Jul 27, 2021·Radiology Case Reports·Joy LiVishal Patel

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