Invisible fat on CT: making it visible by MRI

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ÜNAL E., KARAOSMANOĞLU A. D., AKATA D., ÖZMEN M. N., KARÇAALTINCABA M.

DIAGNOSTIC AND INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY, vol.22, no.2, pp.133-140, 2016 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Review
  • Volume: 22 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2016
  • Doi Number: 10.5152/dir.2015.15286
  • Journal Name: DIAGNOSTIC AND INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.133-140
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Presence of fat in a lesion significantly narrows the differential diagnosis. Small quantities of macroscopic fat and intracellular fat are invisible on computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reveal any fatty change in a lesion and can also differentiate macroscopic fat from intracellular and intravoxel fat. Hypodensity on CT may be a sign of invisible fat and MRI can help to diagnose even minute amounts of fat in liver, pancreas, adrenal, musculoskeletal, and omental pseudolesions and lesions. This article will review the superiority of MRI over CT in demonstrating fat in abdominal lesions.