INTRA-ABDOMINAL FAT: FRIEND OR FOE?
By Shruti Bodapati, South West Imaging Academy
Aim:
Inflamed intra-abdominal fat is a common finding on ultrasound scans of the acute abdomen, equivalent to fat stranding on CT scan. This poster describes the importance of assessing the intra-abdominal fat in localizing the cause of symptoms during ultrasound of the acute abdomen.
Methods:
We intend to present cases where the presence of inflamed intra-abdominal fat has been used to pinpoint the cause of symptoms in patients presenting with acute abdominal symptoms.
Results:
This pictorial review is intended to highlight the importance in recognition of inflamed intra-abdominal fat among practitioners undertaking ultrasound in the acute setting. It is hoped to widen knowledge around this important ultrasound sign.
Conclusions:
It is widely acknowledged while reporting CT scans, that ‘fat is our friend’ and that inflamed fat/fat stranding is an indicator to diagnose pathology. However, this marker must not be ignored during sonographic examination as it is just as valuable!
References:
1. Walid A, Muhammad’A, Hussain Z. Value of Periappendiceal Fat Sign on Ultrasound in Acute Appendicitis. Cureus. 2021 Jul 11;13(7):e16321. doi: 10.7759/cureus.16321. PMID: 34395109; PMCID: PMC8357021.
2. Lee, Min Woo and Kim, Young Jun and Jeon, Hae Jeong and Park, Sang Woo and Jung, Sung Il and Yi, Jeong Geun, Sonography of Acute Right Lower Quadrant Pain: Importance of Increased Intraabdominal Fat Echo, American Journal of Roentgenology, volume 192, pages 174-179, 2009, doi = 10.2214/AJR.07.3330, PMID: 19098198