Epicardial Adipose Tissue: A Novel Potential Imaging Marker of Comorbidities Caused by Chronic Inflammation

Figures

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  Figure 1. Schematic representation of bidirectional signaling between dysfunctional EAT and damaged vasculature, pro-inflammatory cytokines and stressful/pathological conditions, all interconnected by subtle cause-and-effect relationships. Physiologically, EAT contributes to maintaining vessels homeostasis through the production of anti-inflammatory adipokines and cytokines in response to the same markers of oxidative stress and inflammation from the vasculature. When stressful conditions take over, the EAT becomes hypertrophic and dysfunctional, releasing detrimental substances which contribute to the onset and progression of atherosclerosis.

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  Figure 2. Case of a 65-year-old male patient underwent to echocardiography showing epicardial fat tissue on four chambers ((A), arrow) and short axis ((B), arrow) views. From Giuseppe Muscogiuri’s private archive of unpublished cardiac imaging.

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  Figure 3. Case of a 46-year-old male patient underwent to cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for atypical chest pain. CCTA showed epicardial fat on axial ((A), arrow), coronal ((B), arrow) and sagittal ((C), arrow) planes. From Giuseppe Muscogiuri’s private archive of unpublished cardiac imaging.

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  Figure 4. Case of an 85-year-old male patient underwent cardiac computed tomography angiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Arrow identifies pericardium while asterisk represent epicardial adipose tissue. From Giuseppe Muscogiuri’s private archive of unpublished cardiac imaging.

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  Figure 5. Flowchart of the literature eligibility assessment process.