Pancreatic fat helps predict diabetes

Researchers have long suspected that obese people tend to accumulate thick layers of fat in the pancreas. However, they cannot know exactly or measure how much fat is available because it is impossible to locate the fat layers.

Scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center are the first in the US to use imaging techniques called MRS to measure pancreatic fat in obese people. Although scientists around the world have used the MRS method to study many diseases including breast cancer and epilepsy, the UT Southwestern medical center researchers have been successful. in using this noninvasive method to measure pancreatic fat.

The findings of the study conducted by UT Southwestern medical scientists are published online and in the Journal of Medical Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests that the amount of fat in the pancreas is Obese people may be an effective medical tool to recognize the risk of diabetes and monitor the progression of pancreatic fat to prevent it.

Ildiko, an internal medicine professor at the head of the UT Southwestern medical center, said: 'These are just the initial results of the study. However, if these results are correct, the MRS method can become a rapid test to identify people at high risk for diabetes because there are only three causes or they are obese. or a family history of these people suffering from type II diabetes or metabolic problems. It can also tell doctors which patients are at risk of going on to diabetes and therefore these patients need a more resolute treatment regimen. '

Associate Professor Lingvay said MRS is a method using special techniques similar to magnetic imaging techniques using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This method does not use radiation and is completely non-invasive. The test period lasts from 20 to 30 minutes. While MRI can only tell clinicians where the tumor is located, the MRS method can show whether the tumor is malignant or benign by providing biochemical information about the tissue. body rather than simply finding the existence of those tissues.

In this study, scientists used the MRS method to measure pancreatic fat in 79 adult volunteers. The team used dual measurement methods. Each method used 1 to 2 weeks apart on 33 participants to make sure the results are accurate.

Dr. Ildiko Lingvay is a researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center. (Photo: UT Southwestern Center)

Volunteers are divided into 4 groups according to the body's BMI (body weight index) and glucose. BMI is the ratio of body weight and height that is often used to assess the body's fat level. If a person has a BMI of 18.5 to 25, the body weight is normal. In case this index is equal to or exceeds 40, it is said to be obese. All volunteers participating in the study must undergo physical examination including height, weight, blood pressure or some other medical tests.

Using MRS, researchers found that obese people had higher pancreatic fat than non-obese people. Among people with similar BMI but some people are at risk of diabetes or people with diabetes, the amount of pancreatic fat is much higher than the rest.

Professor Lingvay said that the MRS method is not only used in daily medical examinations but can become an effective method of studying pancreas without a biopsy. She added: 'This method gives clinicians the opportunity to pursue research that seems impossible because of the lack of modern research tools.'

The next step of this study is to find ways to reduce the amount of fat in the pancreas to reduce the risk of disease caused by high fat in the pancreas.

Other researchers at UT Medical Center participating in the project include Professor Victoria Esser, an internal research associate; Jaime Legendre, collaborator of the medical research group of Doris Duke Charitable organization; Prof. Angela Price, clinical medicine lecturer; Kristen Wertz, collaborator of internal medicine research; Beverley Adams Huet, associate professor of clinical sciences; Dr. Song Zhang, associate professor of clinical science; Dr. Roger Unger, professor of internal medicine and Dr. Lidia Szczepaniak, assistant assistant professor of internal medicine and radiology.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and Doris Duke Charitable.