Changes in the abdominal fat distribution after gastrectomy: computed tomography assessment.
BACKGROUND
We investigated the postoperative changes in visceral fat, as compared with subcutaneous fat in patients who underwent total gastrectomy (TG) or subtotal gastrectomy (STG).


METHODS
Thirty-eight patients of gastric cancer who underwent abdominal and pelvic computed tomography scans before and after STG (n = 28) or TG (n = 10) were examined. The volumes of the total, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (TAT, VAT and SAT, respectively) were calculated in each scan using the multislice method. Changes between the preoperative data and results obtained at 6 and 12 months after surgery were evaluated.


RESULTS
In the first 6 months, there were significant decreases in TAT, VAT and SAT values in the TG (-2424 +/- 1309, -1535 +/- 1056 and -889 +/- 613 cm(3), respectively) and STG (-1590 +/- 1309, -1024 +/- 645, and -578 +/- 659 cm(3), respectively) groups. From 6 to 12 months after surgery, a further significant reduction in VAT (-351 +/- 196 cm(3)) in the TG group and significant regains in TAT and SAT (850 +/- 1205 and 757 +/- 1032 cm(3), respectively) in the STG group were observed. The ratio of VAT to SAT calculated in both groups decreased continuously in all periods of observation.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients who underwent gastrectomy lost TAT, VAT and SAT during the postoperative period up to 6 months and the decrease in VAT was greater and more persistent than the decrease in SAT, particularly in the TG group.
Yoon
Dae Young
DY
Department of Radiology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangdong-Gu, Seoul, Korea. evee0914@chollian.net
Kim
Hyeon Kyu
HK
Kim
Ju Ae
JA
Choi
Chul Soon
CS
Yun
Eun Joo
EJ
Chang
Suk Ki
SK
Lee
Yu-Jin
YJ
Park
Chan Heun
CH
D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed