title: Abdominal wall fat index, estimated by ultrasonography, for assessment of the ratio of visceral fat to subcutaneous fat in the abdomen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a new index of regional fat distribution using ultrasonography for assessment of the ratio of the visceral fat area (V) to the subcutaneous fat area (S) (V/S ratio).
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects examined were 62 patients (23 males and 39 females); 51 patients had hyperlipidemia and 11 patients had glucose intolerance. The mean body mass indices ranged from 20.3 to 42.9. The mean age of the patients was 44 +/- 13 years. The thicknesses of the preperitoneal fat layer (P) and subcutaneous fat layer (S) in the abdomen were measured by ultrasonography and the P/S ratio was calculated. The V/S ratio was obtained with radiographic computed tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the various P/S ratios examined, the ratio of the maximum thickness of preperitoneal fat to the minimum thickness of subcutaneous fat was most closely correlated with the V/S ratio (r = 0.746, p < 0.0001). This ratio was termed the abdominal wall fat index (AFI). AFI was positively correlated with serum triglyceride levels and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.312, p < 0.05), whereas the V/S ratio was correlated with triglyceride levels. AFI was positively correlated with basal insulin levels in both men and women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that AFI measured by ultrasonography may be a new indicator of visceral fat deposition, and may reflect metabolic disorders such as lipid metabolism and glucose metabolism disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Matsudo Municipal Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishide
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohshima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shinomiya
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirai
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001824:Body Constitution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014781:Viscera / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging