Front Cardiovasc Med. 2026 Jun 18;13:1817940. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2026.1817940. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a distinct adipose depot located between the myocardium and the visceral pericardium. It is distinct from other visceral adipose tissue due to its anatomical position, vicinity to the heart, and its unique secretomic profile. EAT is increasingly recognized for its association with cardiovascular events and is being investigated as a therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This review provides an overview of the anatomy and physiology of EAT, discusses different imaging techniques for EAT assessment, explores the association between EAT and CVDs, and also describes its clinical application as a biomarker and potential therapeutic target.
PMID:42395887 | PMC:PMC13323015 | DOI:10.3389/fcvm.2026.1817940