J Clin Neurol.  2008 Dec;4(4):164-166. 10.3988/jcn.2008.4.4.164.

Gradient-Echo MRI in Defining the Severity of Cerebral Fat Embolism

• Lee J

• KMID: 2287670
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2008.4.4.164

Abstract

BACKGROUND
A few studies have found that abnormal findings on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are useful for diagnosing cerebral fat embolism in the acute stage. CASE REPORT: We applied serial MRI to a case of cerebral fat embolism with cognitive impairment lasting for 2 months. Although marked resolution of the previous abnormal findings was demonstrated, T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI revealed multiple tiny lesions. CONCLUSIONS:We suggest that T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI is useful in defining the clinical severity of patients with cerebral fat embolism.

Keyword

magnetic resonance imaging; embolism; fat; intracranial embolism

MeSH Terms

Embolism
Embolism, Fat
Humans
Intracranial Embolism
Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Multiple scattered high signals were evident on DWI and FLAIR images obtained 10 hours after the onset of drowsiness. DWI: diffusion-weighted MRI, FLAIR: fluid-attenuated inversion recovery.

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  Fig. 2 T2WI, FLAIR, and T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI was performed on day 50. Most of the lesions had disappeared, but ill-defined high-signal lesions remained in the periventricular and subcortical white matter and in the cortex. T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI showed numerous punctate low-signal lesions in the centrum semiovale, subcortical white matter, periventricular white matter, and corpus callosum. T2WI: T2-weighted imaging, FLAIR: fluid-attenuated inversion recovery.

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