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

Abstract

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