Distribution of abdominal adipose tissue as a predictor of hepatic steatosis assessed by MRI.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship between the distribution of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue and hepatic steatosis assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).


METHODS
One T1-weighted, in-/out-of-phase, single-section sequence at the L3/L4 level and one multi-echo gradient MRI (MGRE) sequence were performed on 65 patients [19 females and 46 males; age 57+/-9.5 years; body mass index (BMI) 31+/-5.1kg/m(2)]. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) surfaces, and hepatic steatosis were automatically calculated using in-house software. Weight, height, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist:hip ratio were recorded. The probability of having a steatosis greater than 10% on MRI was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.


RESULTS
The anthropometric parameter best correlated to hepatic steatosis was the waist-to-hip ratio (r=0.301). VAT and proportion of VAT were correlated to liver fat content (r=0.307 and r=0.249, respectively). No significant correlations were found for BMI, hip circumference, and SAT. The area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROCs) for the relationship between liver steatosis and BMI, waist circumference, waist:hip ratio, VAT surface, and proportion of VAT, were respectively 0.52, 0.63, 0.71, 0.73 and 0.75.


CONCLUSIONS
Adipose tissue distribution is more relevant than total fat mass when assessing the possibility of liver steatosis in overweight patients.
Ducluzeau
P-H
PH
Department of endocrinology-Diabetology-Nutrition, Universitary Hospital of Angers, Faculty of Medicine of Angers, France.
Manchec-Poilblanc
P
P
Roullier
V
V
Cesbron
E
E
Lebigot
J
J
Bertrais
S
S
Aubé
C
C
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology*; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio