Skeletal muscle fat

In his chapter the (patho)physiologic role of two distinct skeletal muscle depots, intramuscular adipose tissue and intramyocellular lipids, is reviewed. Connections of skeletal muscle fat infiltration and intracellular accumulation of triglycerides to metabolic and neuromuscular disease, skeletal muscle dystrophy, sports physiology, and skeletal muscle biochemistry are discussed. Physiological considerations for planning of experimental protocols are briefly elaborated. Noninvasive methods of assessment—computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy—are introduced, and compared, and basic recommendations for data acquisitions and processing are given.