Growth of pericardial adipose tissue in Chinese healthy children derived on cardiovascular magnetic resonance: a study based on GAMLSS

Motivation: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) normal reference ranges for pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) parameters in children remain scarce. Goal(s): This study aims to establish reference values for PAT thickness, area and volume by CMR in healthy normal Chinese children. Approach: A prospective study was conducted on 192 healthy children using 3T CMR and balanced steady-state free-precession sequences. The generalized additive model for location scale and shape (GAMLSS) models generated percentile curves based on body surface area (BSA), age, and gender. Results: Normative data for PAT thickness, area, and volume by age, BSA, and gender are presented, showing strong correlations. Impact: We report normative pericardial adipose tissue in children by CMR based on BSA, age and gender. This information is invaluable for clinical practice, as it can help identify pathological changes in pericardial adipose tissue and support future clinical research.