title: Changes in the abdominal fat distribution after gastrectomy: computed tomography assessment.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangdong-Gu, Seoul, Korea. evee0914@chollian.net
authors.forename: Dae Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Hyeon Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ju Ae
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chul Soon
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Eun Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Suk Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yu-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chan Heun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: 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