Is Epidural Fat Affected by Peripheric or Visceral Adipose Tissue? A Radiologic View

Abstract

Objective: We evaluated adipose tissue distribution in different anatomical localizations by comparing with epidural fat tissue.

Methods: Sixty patients’ (28 female and 32 male) included in our study had abdominal computerized tomography and lumbar magnetic resonance images evaluated retrospectively. Subcutaneous and intraabdominal fat tissue thickness was compared with perirenal and epidural fat. The relationship with demographic characteristics of patients was investigated.

Results: Mean value of subcutaneous fat thicknesses were higher in females (29.9±24.2 mm in females and 16.2±24.5 mm in males), while perirenal fat tissue area was higher in males than females (2118.4±2327.1 mm² and 1204.1±851.3 mm² respectively). There was no significant difference in intraabdominal and perirenal fat tissue measurements according to gender (p=0.407, p=0.390; respectively). Also subcutaneous, intraabdominal and perirenal fat tissue measurements showed increments in association with gender (r=0.33, p=0.010; r=0.37, p=0.004; r=0.51, p=<0,001; respectively); however no relationship was detected with epidural fat area (p=0.519). Subcutaneous and intraabdominal fat thicknesses were not related with epidural fat (p values 0.434 and 0.271, respectively); and there was a statistical relationship between perirenal and epidural fat (p=0.010).

Conclusions: Increases in subcutaneous and intraabdominal fat tissue thickness with waist circumference was an expected finding, but no correlation was detected with epidural fat. Thus, we think that the amount of epidural fat does not change with obesity. Also, we concluded that while perirenal fat measurements were higher in the male group and correlated with epidural fat, androgenic effects can play a role in changing the amount of perirenal and epidural fat tissue. This result may be helpful in management of epidural pathologies, though there is a need for supportive studies.   

Keywords

• Keywords: Obesity,epidural fat,perirenal adipose tissue,magnetic resonance

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