Peter B. Kingsley1, Marc L. Gordon2, 3
1Radiology, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY, United States; 2Litwin-Zucker Research Center, Manhasset, NY, United States; 3Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
Lipids in brain MR spectra often suggest pathology, such as tumor, infection, or demyelination. We observed lipids in spectra of a majority of normal adult and aging human brains, ages 50-90. These lipids, usually found in the interhemispheric fissure, may be associated with falx ossifications (broad peaks) or lipomas (CH2 peak near 1.5 ppm). Previously, ossifications were reported in <1%, large lipomas in <0.1%, and small lipomas in 10% of elderly adults. Lipids in human brain MR spectra may not necessarily indicate pathology, especially if a midline voxel lipid peak is broad or shifted from 1.3 ppm to 1.5 ppm.