Imaging features of fat necrosis.

Abstract

We describe five cases of biopsy-proven fat necrosis and review the imaging with an emphasis on MRI. MRI showed the classically reported finding of central globular high signal intensity with a low-signal-intensity rim in only two of the five cases. We noted peripheral contrast enhancement, which to our knowledge has not been reported previously, in three of our five cases. Other patterns such as amorphous, cloudlike stranding and a serpentine appearance were also encountered. In reviewing the literature, we found that the MRI appearance of fat necrosis is more varied than previously thought.