title: CT evaluation of normal interatrial fat thickness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to determine the normal thickness of fat in the interatrial septum as demonstrated by CT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-seven subjects underwent helical chest CT examination as part of a separate protocol to compare the quantification of coronary artery calcification by CT to coronary angiographic findings, using a slice width of 3 mm, reconstructed every 1.5 mm. The thickness of the interatrial fat in both groups was measured anterior and posterior to the fossa ovalis. The mean and standard deviation were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean thickness of interatrial fat anterior and posterior to the fossa ovalis was 4.6 (SD = 2.5) and 3.7 (SD = 3.1) mm, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The normal range of thickness of the interatrial fat is 0-9.6 mm anterior to and 0-9.9 mm posterior to the fossa (2 SD above the mean).
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Indiana University Medical Center, University Hospital, Indianapolis 46202-5253, USA.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Broderick
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Conces
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Tarver
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data