title: CT demonstration of cavernous sinus fat.
abstract: CT demonstration of cavernous sinus fat deposits has been described as abnormal and potentially a specific sign of Cushing disease. CT scans of 100 patients without biochemical or clinical evidence of Cushing disease and of 10 patients with Cushing disease were studied retrospectively. Twenty-seven percent of the non-Cushing patients demonstrated fat in one or both cavernous sinuses. Forty percent of Cushing disease patients had detectable cavernous sinus fat. While fat deposits were more frequent in the Cushing disease group, this was not statistically significant (p = greater than .6). CT demonstration of cavernous sinus fat ordinarily should be regarded as a normal finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor 48109.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Stricof
authors.forename: T O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Gabrielsen
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Latack
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gebarski
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Chandler
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D012016:Reference Values; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed