Prediction of appendicular skeletal and fat mass in children: excellent concordance of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging.
BACKGROUND
Body composition studies in children have great potential to help understand the aetiology and evolution of acute and chronic. diseases.


OBJECTIVE
To validate appendicular lean soft tissue mass (LSTM) and fat mass (FM) measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the reference standard, in healthy peri-pubertal adolescents.


METHODS
Peri-pubertal Caucasian children (n = 74) aged 11-14 years were evaluated. DXA LSTM and FM of the mid third femur were measured and skeletal muscle mass (SM) and FM of the same region were measured on the same day by MRI.


RESULTS
There was a strong correlation between MRI SM and DXA LSTM (r2 = 0.98, index of concordance [C] = 0.91). DXA estimation of LSTM exceeded MRI SM by a mean of 189 g, from 6-371 g (p < 0.0001). The discordance between DXA and MRI significantly increased with the absolute value (r = 0.27; p = 0.024). FM was highly correlated (r = 0.98) with a high index of concordance (C = 0.97).


CONCLUSIONS
This study validates the use of DXA in LSTM measurement in children, confirming its potential in clinical and research roles in paediatric diseases affecting and related to body composition.
Bridge
Pascale
P
The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. pbri7078@usyd.edu.au
Pocock
Nicholas A
NA
Nguyen
Tuan
T
Munns
Craig
C
Cowell
Christopher T
CT
Thompson
Martin W
MW
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012727:Sex Characteristics