HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Demerath, E. W Articles by Towne, B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Demerath, E. W Articles by Towne, B. Agricola Articles by Demerath, E. W Articles by Towne, B.

Approximation of total visceral adipose tissue with a single magnetic resonance image^1,2,3

¹ From the Lifespan Health Research Center, Department of Community Health, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH (EWD, ML, ACC, SAC, RMS, and BT), and the Obesity Research Center, St Luke's–Roosevelt Hospital and the Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY (WS)

Background: A single axial image measured between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae (L4-L5) is most frequently chosen to approximate total abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume, but growing evidence suggests that this measurement site is not ideal.

Objective: The objective was to determine the single magnetic resonance (MR) image that best approximates the total VAT volume in a biracial sample of healthy subjects.

Design: We used contiguous abdominal MR images to measure VAT area and summed them to determine total VAT volume. The sample included 820 healthy men and women (n = 692 whites, 128 blacks) aged 18–88 y.

Results: A range of MR images had equally high correlations with total VAT in each race and sex group. The image 6 cm above L4-L5 (L4-L5 + 6) was within the best equivalent range for all race and sex groups. The L4-L5 + 6 image crossed the L3 vertebra in 85% of subjects and crossed the L2-L3 intervertebral space or the L2 vertebra for 15% of subjects. Linear regression models indicated that the L4-L5 + 6 image explained 97% of the variance in total abdominal VAT volume, and additional covariates did not increase the R² value significantly. The L4-L5 image explained 83% of the variance in VAT volume, and the covariates accounted for an additional 7% of the variance. Rank-order values for VAT can change if total VAT volume is approximated by a single image area. Whereas 25% of subjects changed rank by 10% with the L4-L5 image, only 3% changed rank to that degree with the L4-L5 + 6 image.

Conclusions: A single MR image located approximately at the L3 vertebra can accurately estimate total VAT volume in blacks and whites of both sexes.

Key Words: Visceral adipose tissue • subcutaneous adipose tissue • adipose tissue • adiposity • magnetic resonance imaging • race differences • sex differences

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. W Demerath, D. Reed, N. Rogers, S. S Sun, M. Lee, A. C Choh, W. Couch, S. A Czerwinski, W C. Chumlea, R. M Siervogel, et al. Visceral adiposity and its anatomical distribution as predictors of the metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic risk factor levels Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2008; 88(5): 1263 - 1271. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]