Cerebral fat embolism studied by magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial Doppler sonography, and single photon emission computed tomography: case report

J Trauma. 1997 Aug;43(2):345-8. doi: 10.1097/00005373-199708000-00023.

Abstract

Cerebral fat embolism syndrome is an uncommon complication of trauma. We present a patient who developed cerebral fat embolism syndrome secondary to long-bone fractures. Although computed tomography of the brain failed to show any intracranial lesion, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected scattered, high-signal-intensity lesions on T2-weighted images. 99mTc-d, 1-hexamethyl-propylene amine oxine single photon emission computed tomography (99mTc-HMPAO SPECT) and transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) demonstrated low cerebral blood flow in the acute stage. MRI, 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT, and TCD correlated well with the clinical course of cerebral fat embolism syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Embolism, Fat / diagnosis*
  • Embolism, Fat / etiology
  • Femoral Fractures / complications
  • Fibula / injuries
  • Fractures, Bone / complications
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / diagnosis*
  • Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / etiology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / standards*
  • Male
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Tibial Fractures / complications
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / standards*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / standards
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / standards*