Skip to main content
Log in

Comparison of CT and dual-energy DEXA using a modified trunk compartment in the measurement of abdominal fat

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Endocrine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The quantification of abdominal fat is a marker of health risk. While dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is easily applied, it measures overall fat, although abdominal fat may be a better indicator of health risk from obesity. We have evaluated whether a subcomponent of DEXA measurements correlates better with computed tomography (CT) for body fat than those traditionally used. Forty-seven healthy adults (22 M/25 F), aged 54.5±15.8 yr (mean±SD), with BMI of 27.1±4.6 kg/m2 participated in a cross-sectional study. Body fat was measured using abdominal CT and DEXA for total fat, trunk fat, and a modified trunk measurement that excludes the chest, termed “lower trunk,” and compared. The coefficient of variation for DEXA measurements for trunk, lower trunk, and total body were 1.98, 3.12, and 0.85%, respectively. Mean DEXA for percentage fat ranged from 31.7% to 34.1% for trunk, lower trunk, and total body, compared to 54.2% for abdominal CT (p<0.003 for each pairwise comparison). Lower trunk, whole trunk, and total body DEXA measurements were not different. Measurement of subcomponents of fat content by DEXA is not superior to whole body measurements and remains consistently lower than measurements by CT.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kissebah, A., Vytdelingum, N., and Murray, R. (1982). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 54, 254–260.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Reilly, M. and Rader, D. (2003). Circulation 108, 1546–1551.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Larsson, B., Svardsudd, K., Welin, L., Wihelmsen, L., Bjorntorp, P., and Tibblin, G. (1984). Br. Med. J. 288, 1401–1404.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kannel, W., Cupples, L., Ramaswami, R., Stokes, J., Kreger, B., and Higgins, M. (1991). J. Clin. Epidemiol. 44, 183–190.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Terry, R., Page, W., and Haskell, W. (1992). Int. J. Obes. Relat. Metab. Disord. 16, 417–423.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Prineas, R., Folsom, A., and Kaye, S. (1993). Ann. Epidemiol. 3, 35–41.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Rimm, E., Stampfer, M., Giovannucci, E., et al. (1995). Am. J. Epidemiol. 141, 1117–1127.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Freedman, D., Williamson, D., Croft, J., Ballew, C., and Byers, T. (1995). Am. J. Epidemiol. 142, 53–63.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Folsom, A., Stevens, J., Schreiner, P., and McGovern, P. (1998). Am. J. Epidemiol. 148, 1187–1194.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. von Eyben, F., Mouritsen, E., Holm, J., et al. (2003). Int. J. Obes. 27, 941–949.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Carr, D., Utzschneider, K., Hull, R., et al. (2004). Diabetes 53, 287–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Svendsen, O., Hassager, C., Bergmann, I., and Christiansen, C. (1993). Int. J. Obes. 17, 45–51.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Jensen, M., Kanaley, J., Reed, J., and Sheedy, P. (1995). Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 61, 274–278.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Visser, M., Fuerst, T., Lang, T., et al. (1999). J. Appl. Physiol. 87, 1513–1520.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Armellini, F., Zamboni, M., Robbi, R., et al. (1993). Int. J. Obes. 17, 209–214.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kim, S., Kim, H., Hur, K., et al. (2004). Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 79, 593–599.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Valsamakis, G., Chetty, R., Anwar, A., Banerjee, A., Barmett, A., and Kumar, S. (2004). Diabet. Med. 21, 1339–1345.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Rosner, B. (ed.). (2000). Fundamentals of biostatitsics, 5th edition. Duxbury Thomson Learning: Pacific Grove, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Wild, R. and Bartholomew, M. (1988). Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 159, 423–427.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hartz, A., Rupley, J., Kalkhoff, R., et al. (1983). Prev. Med. 12, 351–357.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Haffner, S., Stern, M., Mitchell, B., et al. (1990). Diabetes 39, 283–288.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Brozek, J., Grande, F., Anderson, J., and Keys, A. (1963). Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 110, 113–140.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Fuller, N., Jebb, S., Laskey, W., Coward, W., and Elia, M. (1992). Clin. Sci. (Colch.) 82, 687–693.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Garrow, J. (1982). Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 35, 1152–1157.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Callaway, C. W., Bouchard, C., Himes, J. H., et al. (1988). In: Anthropometric standardization reference manual. Lohman, T. G., Roche, A. F., and Martorell, R. (eds.). Human Kinetics Books: Champaign, IL.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Borkan, G., Gerzof, S., Robbins, A., Hults, D., Silbert, C., and Silbert, J. (1982). Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 36, 172–177.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Bland, J. and Altman, D. (1986). Lancet 1, 307–310.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Altman, D. and Bland, J. (1983). Statistician 32, 307–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Chinn, S. (1990). Stat. Med. 9, 351–362.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to James T. Lane MD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lane, J.T., Mack-Shipman, L.R., Anderson, J.C. et al. Comparison of CT and dual-energy DEXA using a modified trunk compartment in the measurement of abdominal fat. Endocr 27, 295–299 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1385/ENDO:27:3:295

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/ENDO:27:3:295

Key Words

Navigation