J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2004 Nov;36(5):408-411.

Cerebral Fat Embolism with Multiple Rib and Thoracic Spinal Fractures

• Lee YS
• Park SH
• Hamm IS

Abstract

Cerebral fat embolism(CFE) is a rarely reported and usually underestimated disease entity. It is important to consider the possibility of CFE when intracranial lesions on brain magnetic resonance(MR) imaging without direct relation to the trauma are seen in patients with multiple bone fractures. The authors report a case of CFE caused by trauma with multiple enhancing lesions on the enhanced T1-weighted MR images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images in a 24-year-old-man with multiple bone fractures.

Keyword

Fat embolism; Multiple injuries; Magnetic resonance imaging

MeSH Terms

Brain
Embolism, Fat*
Fractures, Bone
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Multiple Trauma
Ribs*
Spinal Fractures*