title: A theoretical analysis using ratios of the major elements measured by neutron activation analysis to derive total body water, protein, and fat.
abstract: A theoretical analysis based upon Reference Man is used to derive the water, protein, and fat components of soft tissue using the ratios of carbon/oxygen and nitrogen/hydrogen determined by in vivo neutron activation analysis and measurement of body mineral content by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. The standard deviations in the estimates of water, protein, and fat are 0.58, 0.59, and 0.53 kg, respectively, if the reproducibility measurement of the carbon/oxygen ratio is 2.5% and of the nitrogen/hydrogen ratio is 5%, the accuracy of measurement of bone mineral is 4%, and estimate of glycogen is 0.5 kg. New neutron activation technology may permit sufficiently precise measurements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Leeds, England.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D001823:Body Composition; D001834:Body Water / Q000737:chemistry; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009501:Neutron Activation Analysis / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D002244:Carbon; D006859:Hydrogen; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen