Fat quantification: Imaging methods and clinical applications in cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology and Radiology

Background:

• Lipid metabolism's role in cancer is increasingly recognized.
• Tumor and surrounding fat characteristics change during cancer progression.
• Adipose tissue depots influence cancer patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advancements in non-invasive fat quantification imaging.
• To highlight the clinical utility of fat quantification in oncology.

Main Methods:

• Review of current non-invasive imaging techniques for fat quantification.
• Analysis of clinical applications across the cancer care continuum.

Main Results:

• Fat quantification parameters (e.g., controlled attenuation parameter, fat volume fraction, proton density fat fraction) offer valuable insights beyond conventional imaging.
• These imaging methods provide concrete fat information, aiding in understanding cancer characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Fat quantification imaging is a valuable tool in oncology.
• Applications span cancer prevention, diagnosis, classification, treatment monitoring, and prognosis assessment.