Distribution patterns of intramyocellular and extramyocellular fat by magnetic resonance imaging in subjects with diabetes, prediabetes and normoglycaemic controls

AIM To evaluate the distribution of intramyocellular lipids (IMCLs) and extramyocellular lipids (EMCLs) as well as total fat content in abdominal skeletal muscle by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a dedicated segmentation algorithm in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D), prediabetes and normoglycaemic controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS Subjects from a population-based cohort were classified with T2D, prediabetes or as normoglycaemic controls. Total myosteatosis, IMCLs and EMCLs were quantified by multiecho Dixon MRI as proton-density fat-fraction (in %) in abdominal skeletal muscle. RESULTS Among 337 included subjects (median age 56.0 [IQR: 49.0-64.0] years, 56.4% males, median body mass index [BMI]: 27.2 kg/m2 ), 129 (38.3%) were classified with an impaired glucose metabolism (T2D: 49 [14.5%]; prediabetes: 80 [23.7%]). IMCLs were significantly higher than EMCLs in subjects without obesity (5.7% [IQR: 4.8%-7.0%] vs. 4.1% [IQR: 2.7%-5.8%], P