The preferred magnetic resonance imaging planes in quantifying visceral adipose tissue and evaluating cardiovascular risk.
BACKGROUND
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a well-accepted non-invasive method in the quantification of visceral adipose tissue. However, a standard method of measurement has not yet been universally agreed.


OBJECTIVE
The objectives of the present study were 2-fold, firstly, to identify the imaging plane in the Chinese population which gives the best correlation with total visceral adipose tissue volume and cardiovascular risk factors; and secondly to compare the correlations between single-slice and multiple-slice approach with cardiovascular risk factors.


METHODS
Thirty-seven Chinese subjects with no known medical history underwent MRI examination for quantifying total visceral adipose tissue volume. The visceral adipose tissue area at five axial imaging levels within abdomen and pelvis were determined. All subjects had blood pressure measured and fasting blood taken for analysis of cardiovascular risk factors. Framingham risk score for each subject was calculated.


RESULTS
The imaging plane at the level of 'lower costal margin' (LCM) in both men and women had the highest correlation with total visceral adipose tissue volume (r = 0.97 and 0.99 respectively). The visceral adipose tissue area at specific imaging levels showed higher correlations with various cardiovascular risk factors and Framingham risk score than total visceral adipose tissue volume. The visceral adipose tissue area at 'umbilicus' (UMB) level in men (r = 0.88) and LCM level in women (r = 0.70) showed the best correlation with Framingham risk score.


CONCLUSIONS
The imaging plane at the level of LCM is preferred for reflecting total visceral adipose tissue volume in Chinese subjects. For investigating the association of cardiovascular risk with visceral adipose tissue in MRI-obesity research, the single-slice approach is superior to the multiple-slice approach, with the level of UMB in men and LCM in women as the preferred imaging planes.
Liu
K H
KH
Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong. tongyc@netvigator.com
Chan
Y L
YL
Chan
J C N
JC
Chan
W B
WB
Kong
M O
MO
Poon
M Y
MY
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D044466:Asian People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids