Abstract
Objective: Using MRI, we measured cross-sectional areas at several levels, including the umbilical level, and used the measurements to compute visceral fat volumes. We compared correlations between these areas and volumes in order to determine locations where there was a strong correlation between area and volume.
Methods: Our subjects were 117 males and 95 females who underwent visceral fat MRI examinations and gave consent. Using 1.5T MRI, images were obtained for the abdominal-pelvic area by the LAVA-Flex method (transverse slice thickness 5 mm). Using measurement software, visceral fat areas were calculated for individual cross sections from the diaphragm to the pubis. Regarding visceral fat volume, the total of the visceral fat area was multiplied by the slice thickness of 5 mm. We compared visceral fat areas and volumes for a total of 9 cross sections comprising individual intervertebral disk levels from Th10/11 to L5/S1 and the umbilical level, separately for men and women.
Results: In men, there was a significantly stronger correlation between visceral fat volume and visceral fat area at the L2/3 (r=0.9060) and L1/2 (r=0.9056) levels than at the umbilical level (r=0.8480) whereas for women, the strongest correlation was obtained for the umbilical level (r=0.9560).
Conclusion: Areas for which there were strong correlations with visceral fat volume were obtained at the upper lumbar level in men and at the umbilical level in women.
