Body composition, Lipid & Fat Imaging
Martin Torriani

Synopsis

Body composition can be assessed using multiple imaging modalities, such as CT, MRI, MRS and PET, and provide valuable information in conditions associated with abnormal lipid distribution.

Multiple imaging techniques can be used to quantify adipose tissue mass, including purely areal-based methods such as MR imaging and Computed Tomography. While these methods provide important data on the amount of fat present in specific body compartments, they are limited in giving information that relates to functional effects of increased adiposity. MR spectroscopy is capable of quantifying lipids in multiple tissues, giving detailed parameters on body composition, including liver, muscle and bone marrow, as well as in adipose tissue itself. Further, MR spectroscopy can provide insight into the degree of lipid saturation, which has been implicated as a potential trigger for inflammatory response. Finally, MR imaging and PET-based methodologies can be used to measure the mass and activity of brown adipose tissue, which is responsible for non-shivering thermogenesis and is a potential target for activation and energy consumption in states such as obesity.

Acknowledgements

No acknowledgement found.

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Proc. Intl. Soc. Mag. Reson. Med. 26 (2018)