The value of diffusion-weighted MRI in the diagnosis of cerebral fat embolism.

Fat embolism syndrome complicates open fractures involving long bones, although it occasionally follows nontraumatic conditions. Incomplete forms of the syndrome (ie, cerebral fat embolism) represent a challenge to diagnosis, and brain MRI represents a valuable diagnostic tool. We describe a patient who had a fat embolism to the brain after an isolated traumatic open fracture of the tibia. MRI with T2 and diffusion-weighted images revealed multiple, reversible brain lesions, suggesting vasogenic edema and consistent with this entity. At present, MR imaging is the most sensitive technique to evaluate cerebral fat embolism.