Jove
Visualize
Contact Us

Related Experiment Videos

Epipericardial fat pad: CT findings.

M R Paling1, B R Williamson

  • 1Department of Radiology, University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville 22908.

Radiology
|November 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary

Epicardial fat pads can mimic cardiac abnormalities on chest X-rays. Cardiomegaly alone can also create a false appearance of a cardiac fat pad.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Left infrarenal region: anatomic variants, pathologic conditions, and diagnostic pitfalls.

Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc·1991
Same author

Femoral and acetabular photopenia associated with septic hip arthritis.

Clinical nuclear medicine·1991
Same author

Computerized tomographic appearance of renal cysts after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

Southern medical journal·1990
Same author

Computed tomography as a diagnostic aid in diabetic and other problem feet.

Clinical imaging·1989
Same author

Acute bilateral diffuse pulmonary shadowing after evacuation of hydatid mole.

Southern medical journal·1989
Same author

Technetium-99m uptake in neonatal breast.

Clinical nuclear medicine·1989
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Cardiovascular Imaging
  • Thoracic Imaging

Background:

  • Epicardial and mediastinal fat can create a cardiac fat pad appearance on lateral chest radiographs.
  • This finding is typically located in the anterior cardiophrenic angle.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the variability of the cardiac fat pad appearance on chest radiographs.
  • To determine if cardiomegaly or heart position can simulate a cardiac fat pad.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 50 chest computed tomographic (CT) scans.
  • Comparison of CT findings with concurrent chest radiographs (within 14 days).
  • Analysis of 16 patients with variable cardiac fat pad configurations and 4 patients with simulated findings.

Main Results:

  • A cardiac fat pad showed wide configuration variations in 32% of patients.
  • The fat pad could appear as increased density (well- or poorly-marginated) or reduced density.
  • Cardiomegaly or heart levoposition simulated a cardiac fat pad in 8% of patients by excluding lung from the vicinity.

Conclusions:

  • The cardiac fat pad has variable appearances on lateral chest radiographs.
  • Cardiomegaly and heart position are important differential diagnoses for a simulated cardiac fat pad.

Related Experiment Videos