BACKGROUND: Intracranial lipomas are uncommon tumors, which produce susceptibility artifacts on susceptibility weighted images. The cause for the susceptibility artifact on SWI images remains speculative. Our purpose was identifying the possible causes of susceptibility artifacts in lipoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 15 cases harboring 16 lipomas of head region. All the lipomas are evaluated on SWI images for the presence of blooming and types of blooming artifacts. Computed tomography (CT) images were evaluated for presence of calcification. RESULTS: All three pericallosal tubulonodular lipomas showed peripheral rim-like susceptibility artifacts. All the curvilinear lipomas (four cases) showed complete blooming. Five out of eight nodular lipomas showed peripheral susceptibility artifacts, whereas, one showed complete blooming. Two nodular lipomas showed peripheral and central susceptibility artifacts. Scalp and craniovertebral lipomas (four in number) showed peripheral susceptibility artifacts. Specks of calcification were identified in two out of seven cases on CT scan. CONCLUSIONS: Contribution of the macroscopic calcification to susceptibility blooming appears to be insignificant. Microscopic mineralization and chemical shift artifact appears to be a major cause of susceptibility blooming.
BACKGROUND: Intracranial lipomas are uncommon tumors, which produce susceptibility artifacts on susceptibility weighted images. The cause for the susceptibility artifact on SWI images remains speculative. Our purpose was identifying the possible causes of susceptibility artifacts in lipoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 15 cases harboring 16 lipomas of head region. All the lipomas are evaluated on SWI images for the presence of blooming and types of blooming artifacts. Computed tomography (CT) images were evaluated for presence of calcification. RESULTS: All three pericallosal tubulonodular lipomas showed peripheral rim-like susceptibility artifacts. All the curvilinear lipomas (four cases) showed complete blooming. Five out of eight nodular lipomas showed peripheral susceptibility artifacts, whereas, one showed complete blooming. Two nodular lipomas showed peripheral and central susceptibility artifacts. Scalp and craniovertebral lipomas (four in number) showed peripheral susceptibility artifacts. Specks of calcification were identified in two out of seven cases on CT scan. CONCLUSIONS: Contribution of the macroscopic calcification to susceptibility blooming appears to be insignificant. Microscopic mineralization and chemical shift artifact appears to be a major cause of susceptibility blooming.