Relationship of mesenteric panniculitis with visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue

Background/aim: Mesenteric panniculitis (MP) is an idiopathic benign disease characterized by fat necrosis, chronic inflammation, and fibrosis. The relationship between obesity and chronic low-grade inflammation has been reported. This study investigated the relationship of MP diagnosed using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) areas. Materials and methods: We retrospectively enrolled 104 patients with no radiological findings other than MP. Additionally, 76 individuals without any indicative radiological findings were included as controls. VAT and SAT were separately calculated (cm2) using a 3-dimensional workstation. The abdominal circumference was measured (cm). Results: The mean abdominal circumference was 99.9 ± 7.9 cm, SAT was 195.3 ± 89.1 cm2, and VAT was 203.9 ± 72.8 cm2 in the MP group. The abdominal circumference, VAT, and SAT were significantly higher in the MP group than in the control group (P < 0.001). According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, cut-off level VAT and SAT were 167.5 cm2 (sensitivity 71%, specificity 69%) and 117.5 cm2 (sensitivity 78%, specificity 51 %), respectively. Conclusion: Increased VAT and SAT were associated with MP, suggesting their role in the etiology of MP.