Volumetric variations in the buccal fat pad, parapharyngeal adipose corpus, and orbital fat according to sex, age, and body mass index: an MRI study with segmentation.

The buccal fat pad (BFP), pharyngeal adipose corpus (PAC), and orbital fat are deep fatty compartments of the face that are often considered as non-mobilized fat and are excluded from lipid metabolism. There is considerable clinical inter-individual variability in BFP volume. The PAC volume, which is influenced by weight gain, may be involved in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. The aim of this study was to (1) establish well-defined segmentation protocols for the deep fat compartments of the midface; (2) study the volumetric variation in the deep fat compartments of the face according to body mass index (BMI), age, and sex; and (3) compare the behaviours of these fat volumes with each other. Volumes were measured using 3D segmentation tools (3D Slicer). This multicentre study investigated 63 MRI obtained retrospectively. Sex, age, and BMI data were collected from the patient files. The facial deep fat volumes were found to be positively correlated with age and BMI, to varying degrees but in the same direction. No difference in volumes was found between males and females: BFP, P = 0.70; PAC, P = 0.19; orbital fat, P = 0.11. A patient's age and BMI may provide clues as to the volumes of the deep fat compartments. These findings provide a strong foundation for further studies.