Novel screening for transthyretin amyloidosis by using fat ultrasonography.

Misumi, Yohei; Ueda, Mitsuharu; Yamashita, Taro; Masuda, Teruaki; Kinoshita, Yumiko; Tasaki, Masayoshi; Nagase, Terumasa; Ando, Yukio · Ann Neurol · 2017

case_series · Level IV

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Abstract

We aimed to assess the possibility of using a noninvasive screening method for hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis by means of abdominal fat ultrasonography. Quantitative analysis of ultrasound B-mode images demonstrated a significant increase in mean echogenicity and a loss of the normal structure of the layers of fat tissue in patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (n = 19). The ultrasound features of the fat tissue and the degree of amyloid deposition seen histopathologically showed a significant correlation. These results suggest that abdominal fat ultrasonography may be a valuable method for screening for hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis. Ann Neurol 2017;81:604-608.

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