Island of fat in the spinal cord on mri? What is this?
 

One thing I meant to ask about yesterday but was too busy with the other stuff going on. There was somethign weird on the MRI report that I have never seen. Wondering if anyone else has had these and what they are?

" There is an incidental island of fat within the T8 vertebral body on the right side. There is another island of fat within the right side of the T2 vertebral body."

Never saw this on any of the other MRI report so I guess it is new since August, or maybe it is something that is normal that isn't normally mentioned?

Tried googling it, but came up with page after page of things that didn't apply in my case.

When I Googled this I found that fat in the bone marrow may indicate malnutrition.

http://www.childrenshospital.org/new...blevel606.html

Also connected to osteoporosis:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/26/health/26bone.html

Are you obese? Do you eat alot of sat fats?

I am not anorexic, I am also not obese. I do have osteoarthritis in my knees and lumbar. The tiny fall that resulted in 2 broken vertebrae in my back, I was told was normal for an older person with osteoporosis.... but I am only 29!

I eat fairly healthy, as I have a small child at home and I know the importance of nutrition. I have been banned from more steroids, 3 rounds of IVSM and 7 rounds of medrol dosepack, each time just made me sick, gain weight, etc. but did nothing to speed up the flares.

I have MS (suspected PPMS), neurogenic bladder, medication induced early menopause, osteoarthritis, and now 2 broken bones in my back and apparently fat islands in the areas that aren't broken? The bone marrow edema I can see as being normal as they are at the fracture site.

I don't drink, I don't do drugs, I do smoke (it's my one vice, I told the neuro I would quit when she found a drug that worked to slow the progression), and all of this, with the exception of the arthritis in my knees has started after being dx with MS in Oct of 2008.

So the osteoporosis aspect (called osteopenia in younger patients) might be your problem, since you had all those steroids in the past.

Have you had your Vit D measured? MS patients are being followed closely for low D, and treated accordingly.

Smoking will slow and impair bone repair. Smoking is not allowed for any spinal fusion or bone work.

I think it's normal to have adipose tissue (fancy name for "fat") inside the spine...maybe you just have a little extra there?

According to what I saw on Google... fat in the bone marrow is more common in the elderly. Not in younger patients.

If the doctor does not say anything to you, then I wouldn't worry.
But I would get that Vit D checked and stop smoking ASAP if you want those two bones to knit quickly and properly.

She said it was in the spine...I dont think there's marrow in the spine. It's been awhile since I took any anatomy classes, but I think there's gray matter and white matter in the spine. Not marrow.

no info here but wanted to say hugsssssss sorry so young with this crappola... hugsss,sarah

Yes, there is bone marrow in the vertebra of the spine, and it can contain fat. There are papers on Google that discuss it.

This is what was posted:
There are two kinds of bone marrow...yellow and red. The vertbral bodies contain the red type when healthy.

I think legzz should ask the doctor about the significance on the MRI.