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Original article
Mature fat cells in the myocardium of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex
  1. Miraude E A P M Adriaensen1,2,
  2. Matthijs F M van Oosterhout3,
  3. Harm H H Feringa4,
  4. Cornelia M Schaefer-Prokop5,
  5. Bernard A Zonnenberg6,
  6. Mathias Prokop2,7
  1. 1Department of Radiology, Atrium Medical Center Parkstad, Heerlen, The Netherlands
  2. 2Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
  3. 3Department of Pathology, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
  4. 4Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
  5. 5Department of Radiology, Meander Medical Center, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
  6. 6Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
  7. 7Department of Radiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  1. Correspondence to Miraude E A P M Adriaensen, Department of Radiology, Atrium Medical Center Parkstad; Henri Dunantstraat 5, 6419 PC Heerlen, The Netherlands; miraude{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Aim Routine abdominal CT scans in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) showed characteristic fatty foci in the depicted caudal portions of the myocardium. The purpose of this study was to investigate if areas of abnormal myocardium in patients with TSC could also be found in post-mortem specimens.

Methods A retrospective search of our histopathology database was performed to identify specimens of the heart of patients with TSC. Institutional review board approval was obtained, and patient informed consent was waived. Four specimens were included (mean age, 44 years; range 32–68 years; 2 females).

Results Two specimens (50%) of the heart showed areas of mature fat cells in the myocardium, without associated inflammation, without associated fibrosis, without entrapped myocardial cells and without a capsule.

Conclusion Post-mortem specimens of the heart of patients with TSC showed areas of mature fat cells in the myocardium which seem to be unique for TSC.

  • Tuberous sclerosis complex
  • histopathology
  • myocardium
  • fat
  • heart

https://doi.org/10.1136/jcp.2010.087676

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    Footnotes

    • Research was performed at the department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.

    • N.B. This manuscript will be part of my PhD thesis.

    • Competing interests None to declare.

    • Ethics approval This study was conducted with the approval of the University Medical Center Utrecht.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; not externally peer reviewed.