title: Visceral fat as a useful parameter in the differential diagnosis of Crohn's disease and intestinal tuberculosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because of the similarities in the clinical presentations of Crohn's disease (CD) and intestinal tuberculosis (ITB), differential diagnosis is critical. Mesenteric adipose tissue hypertrophy and creeping fat are characteristic features of CD. The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of visceral fat for the differential diagnosis of CD and ITB.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective review of 50 patients with findings of CD or ITB between January 2005 and July 2008. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) was performed on all subjects during their first evaluation. The abdominal fat area was assessed using quantitative abdominal CT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ratio of visceral fat to total fat (VF/TF) was significantly higher in male CD patients than in male ITB patients. The ratio of visceral fat to subcutaneous fat (VF/SF) was also higher in CD patients than in patients with ITB. For a VF/TF cut-off value of 0.46, the sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of CD were 42.1% and 93.3% respectively, with positive and negative predictive values of 88.9% and 56.0%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurement of the abdominal fat area using CT can be clinically useful for the differential diagnosis of CD and ITB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Kwon
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hang Lak
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Ok
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Soon Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kang Nyeong
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Oh Young
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Soon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joon Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hahm
authors.affiliation: Department of Food & Nutrition, Hanyang Women's College, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Crohn's disease; Intra-abdominal fat