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A systematic review of imaging studies of human brown adipose tissue
Author(s) -
Santhanam Prasanna,
Rowe Steven P.,
Solnes Lilja B.,
Quainoo Brittany,
Ahima Rexford S.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/nyas.14579
Subject(s) - brown adipose tissue , positron emission tomography , magnetic resonance imaging , adipose tissue , preclinical imaging , medicine , nuclear medicine , radiology , biology , endocrinology , in vivo , microbiology and biotechnology
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is involved in energy dissipation and has been linked to weight loss, insulin sensitivity, and reduced risk of atherosclerotic disease. BAT is found most often in the supraclavicular region, as well as mediastinal and paravertebral areas, and it is predominantly seen in young persons. BAT is activated by cold temperature and the sympathetic nervous system. In humans, BAT was initially detected via 2‐deoxy‐2‐[ 18 F]fluoro‐ d ‐glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), a high‐resolution molecular imaging modality used to identify and stage malignancies. Recent studies have shown that BAT can be localized using conventional imaging modalities, such as CT or magnetic resonance imaging, as well as radiotracers used for single‐photon emission CT. In this systematic review, we have summarized the evidence for BAT detection in humans using various imaging techniques.