title: Imaging manifestations of mediastinal fat necrosis.
abstract: Mediastinal fat necrosis (MFN) or epipericardial fat necrosis, as it is commonly referred to in the literature, is a rare self-limiting cause of chest pain of unclear etiology. MFN affects previously healthy individuals who present with acute pleuritic chest pain. Characteristic computed tomography (CT) findings include a fat attenuation lesion with intrinsic and surrounding increased attenuation stranding. There is often associated thickening of the adjacent pericardium and/or pleural effusions. We present two cases of MFN manifesting as ovoid fat attenuation lesions demarcated by a soft tissue attenuation rim with intrinsic and surrounding soft tissue attenuation stranding and review the clinical and pathologic features of these lesions. Knowledge of the clinical presentation of patients with MFN and familiarity with the characteristic imaging findings of these lesions should allow radiologists to prospectively establish the correct diagnosis and suggest conservative management and follow-up.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA.
authors.forename: Malay Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Bhatt
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA ; The Department of Radiology, Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, 4401 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martínez-Jiménez
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA ; The Department of Radiology, Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, 4401 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rosado-de-Christenson
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pathology, Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, 4401 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA ; The Department of Radiology, Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, 4401 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA ; The Department of Radiology, Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, 4401 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kunin