Abstract
PurposeTo evaluate the feasibility to detect activated brown adipose tissue (BAT) using single-time-point infrared thermography of the supraclavicular skin region under thermoneutral conditions. To this end, infrared thermography was compared with 18-F-FDG PET, the current reference standard for the detection of activated BAT.Methods120 patients were enrolled in this study. After exclusion of 18 patients, 102 patients (44 female, 58 male, mean age 58±17 years) were included for final analysis. All patients underwent a clinically indicated 18F-FDG-PET/CT examination. Immediately prior to tracer injection skin temperatures of the supraclavicular, presternal and jugular regions were measured using spatially resolved infrared thermography at room temperature. The presence of activated BAT was determined in PET by typical FDG uptake within the supraclavicular adipose tissue compartments. Local thickness of supraclavicular subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) was measured on CT. Measured skin temperatures were statistically correlated with the presence of activated BAT and anthropometric data.ResultsActivated BAT was detected in 9 of 102 patients (8.8%). Local skin temperature of the supraclavicular region was significantly higher in individuals with active BAT compared to individuals without active BAT. However, after statistical correction for the influence of BMI, no predictive value of activated BAT on skin temperature of the supraclavicular region could be observed. Supraclavicular skin temperature was significantly negatively correlated with supraclavicular SCAT thickness.ConclusionWe conclude that supraclavicular SCAT thickness influences supraclavicular skin temperature and thus makes a specific detection of activated BAT using single-time-point thermography difficult. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the possibility of BAT detection using alternative thermographic methods, e.g. dynamic thermography or MR-based thermometry taking into account BMI as a confounding factor.
Highlights
With the introduction of 18F-FDG PET/CT it became clear that brown adipose tissue (BAT) is prevalent in children and in a significant proportion of adults [1,2,3]
Local skin temperature of the supraclavicular region was significantly higher in individuals with active BAT compared to individuals without active BAT
We conclude that supraclavicular subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) thickness influences supraclavicular skin temperature and makes a specific detection of activated BAT using single-time-point thermography difficult
Summary
With the introduction of 18F-FDG PET/CT it became clear that brown adipose tissue (BAT) is prevalent in children and in a significant proportion of adults [1,2,3]. Clinical studies in patients that were examined by 18F-FDG PET/CT revealed demographic factors associated with a higher prevalence of active BAT under thermoneutral conditions, namely young age, low body-mass index (BMI) and female sex [7]. These results led to the assumption that BAT is involved as a protective factor in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders including diabetes and obesity [8]. This assumption is supported by animal studies [9,10] and by retrospective demographic studies in humans [7,11,12]
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