Adipose Tissue in and Around the Heart: Structural and Functional Insights From Cardiac Magnetic Resonance
Abstract
Cardiac adipose tissue is normally present in the epicardium, but a variable amount can also be present in the myocardium, particularly in the subepicardial regions of the right ventricular anterolateral and apical regions. Pathological adipose tissue changes may occur in both ischemic (previous myocardial infarction) and nonischemic (previous myocarditis, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, lipomatous hypertrophy of the interatrial septum, cardiac lipomas and liposarcomas) conditions, with or without extensive replacement-type myocardial fibrosis. Cardiac magnetic resonance is the gold standard imaging technique to characterize myocardial tissue changes and to distinguish between physiological and pathological cardiac fat deposits. In this review, we present the most common conditions presenting with myocardial fatty infiltration or with fatty replacement and the best magnetic resonance sequences to detect them, providing a comparison with histological findings and discussing their clinical significance.
Article Details
Authors (14)
Andrea Barison
Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, Pisa, Italy (A. Barison).
Giovanni Donato Aquaro
Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Academic Radiology Unit, University of Pisa, Italy (G.D.A.).
Santo Dellegrottaglie
Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Unit, Clinica Villa dei Fiori Acerra, Naples, Italy (S.D., A.S.).
Stefania Rizzo
Antonio De Luca
Cardiothoracovascular Department, Division of Cardiology, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina, University of Trieste, Italy (A.D.L., G.S.).
Viviana Maestrini
Department of Clinical, Anestesiological and Cardiovascular Science, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy (V.M.).
Alessandra Scatteia
Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Unit, Clinica Villa dei Fiori Acerra, Naples, Italy (S.D., A.S.).
Andrea Baggiano
Monica de Gaspari
Pasquale Perrone Filardi
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Italy (P.P.F.).
Gianfranco Sinagra
Massimo Imazio
Cardiothoracic Department, University Hospital Santa Maria della Misericordia, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, Udine, Italy (M.I.).
Cristina Basso
Martina Perazzolo Marra
Cardiology Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Italy (M.P.M).