MRI Findings of Cerebral Fat Embolism

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 12(4); 1994 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1994;12(4): 812-815.

대뇌지방색전증의 자기공명영상소견

조성진, 곽용태,이준홍,김동익,손영호

연세대학교 신경과, 방사선과.

MRI Findings of Cerebral Fat Embolism

Sung Jin Cho, M.D., Yong Tae Kwat, M.D., Jun Hong Lee, M.D., Dong Ik Kim, M.D., and Young Ho Sohn, M.D.

Department of Neurology and Radiology Yonsei University College of Medicine

Abstract

A 22-year-old female developed sudden loss of consciousness about 15 hours after bilateral femur shaft fracture. The cerebral fat embolism was suspected, but brain CT showed no abnormality. After recovery from comatous mental state which persisted about a month, brain MRI was perfomed and demonstrated scattered small lesions on periventricular white matter which appeared low signals on T1 and high signals on T2-weighted images. The follow-up MRI was taken at about 5 month after admission, when the patient recovered completely without any residual neurologic deficits, and it showed disappearance of previously noted lesions. We suggest MRI is valuable for detecting the lesions in patients with cerebral fat embolism.