Fat in the brain: Facts and features
Sunitha Palasamudram Kumaran1, Shreyas Reddy K2, Priyadarshini Harish1
1Department of Radiology, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences Whitefields, Bangalore, India.
The Neuroradiology Journal
|January 7, 2023
Summary
Fat in brain lesions aids diagnosis on CT/MRI. This review covers 15 common and rare fat-containing brain lesions, categorized by composition, to improve diagnostic accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Pathology
- Radiology
Background:
- Fat within brain lesions is a key diagnostic indicator.
- Identifying fat content aids in differential diagnosis of intracranial lesions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To illustrate the spectrum of common and rare fat-containing brain lesions.
- To provide a comprehensive overview of lesions confirmed by MRI and histopathology.
- To aid clinicians in diagnosing or narrowing differentials for fat-containing brain lesions.
Main Methods:
- Review of 15 fat-containing brain lesions.
- Confirmation of lesions using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings.
- Histopathological correlation for definitive diagnosis.
Main Results:
- Fat-containing lesions were categorized into three groups: those with adipose cells, cholesterol-rich content, and lipomatous differentiation/transformation.
- The study illustrates a range of both common and rare entities.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the diverse types of fat-containing brain lesions is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
- This knowledge assists in refining the differential diagnosis process for neuroimaging findings.
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