title: Adipose tissue volume measured by magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography in rats.
abstract: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the viability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a means of measuring the body composition of rodents. To do so we compared adipose tissue (AT) volumes measured by MRI with those obtained by X-ray computerized tomography (CT) in a group of rats (n = 17) varying in weight (465-815 g) and percent body fat (5.4-31.1%), with the latter determined by chemical analysis. For both MRI and CT, AT volumes (cm3) per transverse slice (3-mm thickness, 21-mm centers) were determined using a computer-based image analysis system that permitted detailed comparisons of both visceral and subcutaneous AT depots. Total AT volumes were calculated using a linear interpolation of AT areas obtained on consecutive slices. Correlation coefficients between MRI and CT for visceral [r = 0.98, standard error of estimate (SEE) = 6.8 cm3], subcutaneous (r = 0.98, SEE = 6.5 cm3), and total AT volumes (r = 0.99, SEE = 9.0 cm3) were highly significant (P less than 0.001). Both MRI- and CT-predicted AT mass (assuming fat density = 0.90 g/ml) correlated strongly with chemically extracted lipid (grams) values (r = 0.98, SEE 9.6 g and r = 0.99, SEE = 6.9 g, respectively). Post hoc Scheffé contrasts demonstrated that the mean AT and lipid mass values derived by the three methods were not significantly different (P = 0.01). No systematic differences were observed because the regression lines derived for either MRI or CT vs. chemical analysis were not significantly different from the identity line.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Département d'Education Physique, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Léger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guardo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Guise
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Pike
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids