title: High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Aging Upper Face Fat Compartments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Age-related changes in fat compartments have yet to be fully characterized. Uncertainty remains in terms of volume gains/losses or shape fluctuations over time. The authors' aim was to determine the evolution of subcutaneous fat in the aging upper face, focusing on shifts in volume and dimension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over the course of 4.5 years, 100 faces of living female Caucasian patients were prospectively studied using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Subjects were stratified by age as follows: group 1, 18 to 30 years; group 2, 30 to 60 years; and group 3, older than 60 years. Superficial temporal and central forehead compartments were delimited, analyzing respective volumes and dimensions by group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 85 patients studied, superficial temporal fat (mean volume, 5.14 cm) increased 35.48 percent in total volume between youth and old age (p = 0.046). Overall height and magnitude of the lower one-third also increased with aging. Central forehead fat (mean volume, 2.56 cm), studied in 83 patients, showed a 209.75 percent volume gain in group 2 (versus group 1) and a 17.59 percent volume loss in group 3 (versus group 2) (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subcutaneous facial fat fluctuates with aging, increasing in the upper face and promoting ptosis through basal compartmental expansion.
authors.affiliation: Nice, France.|From the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, the Public Health Service and Medical Information, and the Radiology and Medical Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Nice; and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Polyclinic Santa Maria.
authors.forename: Rémi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Foissac
authors.affiliation: Nice, France.|From the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, the Public Health Service and Medical Information, and the Radiology and Medical Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Nice; and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Polyclinic Santa Maria.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Camuzard
authors.affiliation: Nice, France.|From the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, the Public Health Service and Medical Information, and the Radiology and Medical Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Nice; and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Polyclinic Santa Maria.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piereschi
authors.affiliation: Nice, France.|From the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, the Public Health Service and Medical Information, and the Radiology and Medical Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Nice; and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Polyclinic Santa Maria.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Staccini
authors.affiliation: Nice, France.|From the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, the Public Health Service and Medical Information, and the Radiology and Medical Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Nice; and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Polyclinic Santa Maria.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Andreani
authors.affiliation: Nice, France.|From the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, the Public Health Service and Medical Information, and the Radiology and Medical Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Nice; and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Polyclinic Santa Maria.
authors.forename: Charalambos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.affiliation: Nice, France.|From the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, the Public Health Service and Medical Information, and the Radiology and Medical Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Nice; and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Polyclinic Santa Maria.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benatar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult