Evaluation of the effect of visceral fat area on the distance and angle between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of visceral fat area on the distance and angle between the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and the aorta.


METHODS
On axial and sagittal images from abdomen CT scan, the distance and the angle between the SMA and the aorta were measured at the location where the third part of the duodenum crosses. The visceral fat area was calculated at the level of the umbilicus on the abdominal CT section. Body mass index was calculated.


RESULTS
For both genders, the correlation between the distance and visceral fat area was substantial (p < 0.001). For males, there was no statistically significant relationship between the angle and the visceral fat area. For females, the correlation between the angle and the visceral fat area was low but significant and positive (r = 0.25, p < 0.048). In addition, it was found that males have a greater proportion of visceral fat than females. In both females and males, the subcutaneous fat area correlated with BMI (r = 0.65, r = 0.69, respectively, p < 0.001), more strongly than the visceral fat area did (r = 0.51, r = 0.63, respectively, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The distance between the aorta and the SMA significantly correlates with visceral fat area than with BMI. The size of visceral fat area of females and males vary; therefore, the amount of visceral fat area should be considered in the establishing diagnosis of SMA syndrome.
Ozbulbul
Nilgun Isiksalan
NI
Department of Radiology, Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Hospital, Kizilay sok. No: 4 Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey. nilgunisiksalan@yahoo.com
Yurdakul
Mehmet
M
Dedeoglu
Hakan
H
Tola
Muharrem
M
Olcer
Tulay
T
D001027:Aortography; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed