Quantification of Lipids in Human Lower Limbs Using Yellow Bone Marrow as the Internal Reference: Gender Related Effects

Francisco Ortiz-Nieto¹, Jan Weis¹, Lars Johansson^1,2, Hkan Ahlstrm¹

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare EMCL and IMCL content in the calf and thigh muscles of normal male and female volunteers using high spatial resolution MRSI. A common feature for both genders was higher total fat content in the thigh muscles compared with the calf. The mean IMCL level was, however, higher in the calf muscles. No significant differences in lipid concentrations of correspondent VOIs were found between genders. The high-spatial-resolution MRSI technique enables a more detailed study of muscle lipid distribution.