Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis to Assess Visceral and Abdominal Adipose Tissue

Abstract

What is already known?► Visceral adipose tissue, which is relevant for several pathologies, is commonly assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using different scanning protocols. Biolelectrical impedence analysis (BIA) is often used as a cost-effective and widely available alternative to MRI when quantifying total adipose tissue. What does this study add?► This study compares BIA with Dixon fat fraction map results and volumetric fat measurements with direct fat fraction results.Objective: This study aimed to compare a state-of-the-art bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) device with two-point Dixon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the quantification of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) as a health-related risk factor. Methods: A total of 63 male participants were measured using a 3-T MRI scanner and a segmental, multifrequency BIA device. MRI generated fat fraction (FF) maps, in which VAT volume, total abdominal adipose tissue volume, and FF of visceral and total abdominal compartments were quantified. BIA estimated body fat mass and VAT area.Results: Coefficients of determination between abdominal (r 2 = 0.75) and visceral compartments (r 2 = 0.78) were similar for both groups, but slopes differed by a factor of two. The ratio of visceral to total abdominal FF was increased in older men compared with younger men. This difference was not detected with BIA. MRI and BIA measurements of the total abdominal volume correlated moderately (r 2 = 0.31-0.56), and visceral measurements correlated poorly (r 2 = 0.13-0.44).Conclusions: Visceral BIA measurements agreed better with MRI measurements of the total abdomen than of the visceral compartment, indicating that BIA visceral fat area assessment cannot differentiate adipose tissue between visceral and abdominal compartments in young and older participants.Obesity (2020) 28, 277-283.

Measurement of visceral fat and abdominal obesity by single-frequency bioelectrical impedance and CT: a cross-sectional study

“…The correlation coefficients (R=0.387-0.636) for visceral fat between BIA and CT in this study (figure 2A,B) are similar to those reported elsewhere between BIA and MRI (r 2 =0.13-0.44). 15 At the manufacturer's recommended VFL threshold of 13 the sensitivity and specificity of BIA measurements to discriminate visceral obesity measured by CT VFA were 10% and 97%, respectively, in women and 52% and 90% in men. However, we found improved figures for sensitivity and specificity by choosing different VFL thresholds in men and women.…”

Association Between the Cardiometabolic Index and Hyperuricemia in an Asymptomatic Population with Normal Body Mass Index

“…② The BAI, ABSI and BRI cannot exactly distinguish subcutaneous adipose tissue from visceral adipose tissue, the effects of them on health-related risk factors are different. 19 , 20 …”

“…and BRI cannot exactly distinguish subcutaneous adipose tissue from visceral adipose tissue, the effects of them on health-related risk factors are different. 19,20 The new indicators of abdominal obesity (VAI, LAP and CMI), besides WC include lipid parameters (TG or TG/HDL-C) to better discriminate cardiometabolic risk and MS than traditional indices. 21,22 Previous studies had indicated that TG/HDL-C was superior in identify MS than nonHDL-C based on multiethnic sample, 23 and TG/ HDL-C considered as a marker of insulin resistance (IR) even in normal-weight adults.…”

Adipose tissue dysfunction, inflammation, and insulin resistance: alternative pathways to cardiac remodelling in schizophrenia. A multimodal, case–control study

“…A key advantage of CMR over echocardiography is that the ventricles can be imaged in their entirety, and no geometrical assumptions need to be made in order to derive global whole-organ data [ 41 ]. Body fat contents and distribution was measured using gold standard whole-body MRI, which has been shown to outperform other techniques such as body impedance by not providing underestimates of body mass overall [ 42 ], and more accurate quantification of the visceral compartment [ 43 ].…”