Three-dimensional comparison of intramuscular fat content between young and old adults.
Fat infiltration within skeletal muscle is known as intramuscular fat (IMF), which increases with aging. Studies have assessed IMF content, using the mid-thigh as a representative location. However, three-dimensional IMF distribution is not well understood. The aim of this study was to compare the IMF content in young and old adults by assessing its distribution along the length of the thigh.



Consecutive transaxial images of the right thighs in 15 young (age, 21.0 ± 0.4) and 15 old (age, 70.7 ± 3.8) were obtained by magnetic resonance imaging. We measured IMF cross-sectional area (CSA), skeletal muscle CSA and calculated volume- and CSA-based IMF content for the quadriceps femoris (QF), hamstring (HM) and adductor (AD). CSA-based calculations were performed at every 10% of femur length (Lf), with 0% Lf and 100% Lf indicating the proximal and distal ends of femur.



IMF CSAs along the length of the thigh were similar in both age groups. In contrast, skeletal muscle CSAs in all three muscle groups were significantly lower in old adults than in young adults (variation: -15.2 to -1.6 cm2, P < 0.05). Thus, in volume-based measurements, the older adults had higher IMF contents than the younger adults (9.5% to 14.3% vs. 4.8% to 8.6%, respectively; P < 0.05). However, such age-dependent differences were not observed at the mid-thigh in the QF and AD.



The results demonstrated an age-related increase in IMF content-confirmed in areas of the thigh-primarily based on finding lower amounts of skeletal muscle mass in CSAs in the older adults.
Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan. yoshiko@nagoya-u.jp.
Akito
A
Yoshiko
Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
Maya
M
Hioki
Faculty of Human Wellness and Nutrition, Tokaigakuen University, Nagoya, Japan.
Nana
N
Kanehira
Faculty of Human Wellness, Tokaigakuen University, Miyoshi, Japan.
Kiyoshi
K
Shimaoka
Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.|Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness & Sports, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
Teruhiko
T
Koike
Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
Hisataka
H
Sakakibara
Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.|Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness & Sports, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
Yoshiharu
Y
Oshida
Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness & Sports, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.|Graduate School of Education and Human Development, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Akima
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D000070633:Hamstring Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D055815:Young Adult
Distribution characterization; Intramuscular fat; Old adults; Thigh muscles; Young adults