For quite some time now, fat accumulation around the heart has been linked with cardiovascular and metabolic disease. However, until now, there hasn't been a simple way to measure it. A team from the Queen Mary University of London has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can automatically quantify these fat deposits from regular MRI scan images. There is a particular collection of fat tissue surrounding the surface of the heart called Pericardial adipose tissue (PAT). High levels of PAT (separate from body mass index and body weight) have been associated with a more significant risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes.

Accumulation of fat specifically around the heart has long been linked to cardiovascular and metabolic disease but until now there hasn't been a simple way to measure this. A new artificial intelligence tool has been developed that can quantify these fat deposits from regular MRI images. Pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) is a particular collection of fat tissue surrounding the surface of the heart. High levels of PAT, separate to body weight or body mass index, have been linked to increased risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease but the association has remained a hypothesis due to measurement challenges. The best way we can currently measure PAT levels is using a computed tomography (CT) scan.