title: Quantification of Abdominal Fat in Obese and Healthy Adolescents Using 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Free Software for Image Analysis.
abstract: Computed tomography, which uses ionizing radiation and expensive software packages for analysis of scans, can be used to quantify abdominal fat. The objective of this study is to measure abdominal fat with 3T MRI using free software for image analysis and to correlate these findings with anthropometric and laboratory parameters in adolescents.
  
  
  
  This prospective observational study included 24 overweight/obese and 33 healthy adolescents (mean age 16.55 years). All participants underwent abdominal MRI exams. Visceral and subcutaneous fat area and percentage were correlated with anthropometric parameters, lipid profile, glucose metabolism, and insulin resistance. Student's t test and Mann-Whitney's test was applied. Pearson's chi-square test was used to compare proportions. To determine associations Pearson's linear correlation or Spearman's correlation were used.
  
  
  
  In both groups, waist circumference (WC) was associated with visceral fat area (P = 0.001 and P = 0.01 respectively), and triglycerides were associated with fat percentage (P = 0.046 and P = 0.071 respectively). In obese individuals, total cholesterol/HDL ratio was associated with visceral fat area (P = 0.03) and percentage (P = 0.09), and insulin and HOMA-IR were associated with visceral fat area (P = 0.001) and percentage (P = 0.005).
  
  
  
  3T MRI can provide reliable and good quality images for quantification of visceral and subcutaneous fat by using a free software package. The results demonstrate that WC is a good predictor of visceral fat in obese adolescents and visceral fat area is associated with total cholesterol/HDL ratio, insulin and HOMA-IR.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Pediatric Gastroenterology Service, Hospital São Lucas da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Cristina
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Eloi
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Pediatric Gastroenterology Service, Hospital São Lucas da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Matias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Epifanio
authors.affiliation: PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marília Maia
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: de Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pellicioli
authors.affiliation: PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia Froelich Giora
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Henrique Bregolin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Veranópolis, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Neide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bruscato
authors.affiliation: Brain Institute (InsCer), PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Bernardi
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Soder
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Carlos Batista
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Marialena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mouzaki
authors.affiliation: Imaging Center Coordinator, Brain Institute (InsCer), PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baldisserotto
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012984:Software; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose