ABSTRACT
A wide variety of fat-containing entities occur in and near the heart. These findings are often encountered by radiologists and may be incidental or the reason for the patient's clinical presentation. Cross-sectional imaging helps to characterize the extent of these lesions and to formulate a differential diagnosis, which varies by lesion location, imaging features and patient demographics. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to familiarize radiologists with these fat-containing lesions and to help avoid misdiagnosis and errors in management. This pictorial review will discuss the normal fatty structures in and around the heart. A range of common and uncommon fat-containing lesions will then be reviewed based upon lesion location.
Subject(s)
Adipose Tissue/pathology , Heart Diseases/diagnosis , Mediastinum/pathology , Pericardium/pathology , Adipose Tissue/diagnostic imaging , Echocardiography , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Mediastinal Diseases/diagnosis , Mediastinum/diagnostic imaging , Pericardium/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Enhancement patterns of visceral venous collaterals are well documented in cases of superior vena cava obstruction. Only recently has intraosseous venous collateral enhancement been described. We describe an unusual case of vertebral marrow enhancement in the lower thoracic spine related to venous collateral circulation caused by an incidental hemiazygos thrombus. Misinterpretation of this finding can lead to the erroneous interpretation of sclerotic bone metastases.
