title: A rapid and reliable semiautomated method for measurement of total abdominal fat volumes using magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: The aim of this study was the development of a reliable and fast method to estimate total abdominal fat volumes (TAF) in diabetic subjects on the basis of T1-weighted MR images. Thirty-seven patients with diabetes were examined (age 48 +/- 13 y mean +/- SD). A semiautomated computer assisted software program was developed to quantify intraabdominal (IAF), subcutaneous (SCF), and total abdominal fat volumes (TAF). The variability of image analysis for fat measurements between two observers and within observers was assessed. Mean volumes (+/- SD) for IAF, SCF and TAF were 10.5 1 (+/- 5.0 1), 15.1 1 (+/-7.3 1) and 25.7 1 (+/-11.5 1), respectively. Inter- and intraobserver reliability was excellent (r = 0.999 to r = 1.0). Per patient, the analysis required nine minutes in addition to a scan duration of seven minutes. As this analytic method using T1-weighted MR images allows a fast and reliable quantification of TAF, IAF and SCF, it may serve as a valuable tool for respective studies in diabetic subjects.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. polll@uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: Ludger
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilhelm Poll
authors.forename: Hans-Jörg
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wittsack
authors.forename: Jens-Albrecht
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Reinhart
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willers
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohnen
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kapitza
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heinemann
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mödder
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results