Adipose tissue detected by multislice computed tomography in patients after myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to investigate the frequency of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular adipose tissue on multislice computed tomography (CT) in patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and to determine correlations with infarct age.


BACKGROUND
Fat deposition in the ventricular wall has frequently been observed in post-infarct myocardial tissue. However, the in vivo relevance of adipose tissue in MI on CT and correlations with infarct age have not been determined.


METHODS
Fifty-three patients with a history of MI (mean age 66 +/- 10 years; 38 men, 15 women) and 63 subjects with no history of MI or coronary revascularization (mean age 65 +/- 12 years; 37 men, 26 women) were retrospectively studied for intramyocardial fat on 64-slice cardiac CT. Presence or absence, distribution, and correlations with infarct age of LV adipose tissue were evaluated.


RESULTS
Compared with noninfarct control subjects, the MI group showed a significantly higher prevalence of fat deposition within LV myocardium on CT (MI group, 62% [33 of 53] vs. control group, 3% [2 of 63]; p < 0.0001). In 32 of 33 patients (97%) with MI and LV fat deposition on CT, adipose tissue was observed in the region perfused by the infarct-related artery and was located in the subendocardium in 30 patients (94%), the middle layer in 1 patient (3%), and the subepicardium in 1 patient (3%). Mean infarct age was significantly higher in patients with LV adipose tissue (8.2 +/- 4.4 years) than in those without adipose tissue (2.2 +/- 2.6 years, p < 0.001). Thirty of 35 patients (89%) with infarct age >or=3 years showed adipose tissue in MI. Conversely, none of 9 patients with infarct age <10 months showed fatty replacement.


CONCLUSIONS
Myocardial adipose tissue is common in patients with infarct age >or=3 years. CT evaluation of myocardial adipose tissue may be important for accurate interpretation of CT perfusion and infarct imaging of the heart.
Ichikawa
Yasutaka
Y
Department of Radiology, Matsusaka Central Hospital, Mie, Japan. yasutaka@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Kitagawa
Kakuya
K
Chino
Shuji
S
Ishida
Masaki
M
Matsuoka
Koji
K
Tanigawa
Takashi
T
Nakamura
Tomoaki
T
Hirano
Tadanori
T
Takeda
Kan
K
Sakuma
Hajime
H
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008068:Lipomatosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed