Assessment of regional adipose tissue depots: a DXA and CT comparison in cadavers of elderly persons
Abstract
Objective Since dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) cannot distinguish between different adipose tissue (AT) deposits, it remains unclear how DXA-derived body composition variables relate to anatomical tissue (sub)compartments. The aim of the present study was to compare and relate regional DXA variables with absolute tissue masses obtained by computer tomography (CT) scanning of the lower limbs in elderly persons.Methods Eleven well-preserved white Caucasian adults (seven male and four female cadavers) with a median age of 79.0 years (ranging from 68 to 96 years) were fully scanned with DXA and CT. Separate densities of skin tissue, AT, muscle tissue and bone were obtained by hydrostatic weighing.Results The leg DXA-variables were significantly related (rho-values between 0.60 and 0.98, P < 0.01) to CT-derived tissue counterparts, but showed significant systematic differences except for subcutaneous AT mass (P = 0.773). After controlling for other AT depots, fat as measured by DXA (fat(DXA)) related only to intermuscular AT (rho = 0.82, P < 0.01) in males and to subcutaneous AT (rho = 0.84, P < 0.05) in females.Conclusion Although significantly interrelated, DXA and CT variables should not be used interchangeably since they have different quantitative and physiological significance. Our results suggest that fat(DXA) represents different parts of AT depots in elderly men and women. Since DXA is not appropriate for assessing tissue variability cautious clinical interpretation is warranted.
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Lean DXA in the limbs is significantly interrelated to muscle mass in older persons.
“Although it has been shown that lean DXA in the limbs is significantly interrelated to muscle mass in older persons, variability in the distribution of water over different tissue compartments may have affected the accuracy of the prediction [29].”
From Predicting appendicular lean and fat mass with bioelectrical impedance analysis in older adults with physical function decline – The PROVIDE study (2017) · cites this paper as [29]
Variability in the distribution of water over different tissue compartments may have affected the accuracy of the appendicular lean mass prediction.
“Although it has been shown that lean DXA in the limbs is significantly interrelated to muscle mass in older persons, variability in the distribution of water over different tissue compartments may have affected the accuracy of the prediction [29].”
From Predicting appendicular lean and fat mass with bioelectrical impedance analysis in older adults with physical function decline – The PROVIDE study (2017) · cites this paper as [29]
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Self-citationNovel MRI‐Guided Ultrasound Equations for Whole‐Body Muscle Mass in Caucasian Adults
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Scafoglieri, A., Deklerck, R., Tresignie, J., De Mey, J., Clarys, J. P., & Bautmans, I.
- Affiliations
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Scafoglieri, Aldo
- Venue
- Experimental Gerontology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-09
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 985-991
- ISSN
- 0531-5565 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2039884201
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 5
- FWCI
- 1.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Experimental Gerontology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- VUBIR (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (OZR1402BOF, OZR2095BOF)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Bone health and osteoporosis research
- Keywords
- dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography, body composition, intermuscular fat, subcutaneous adipose tissue, lower extremity, older adults, corpses, sex differences, method comparison
- MeSH terms
- Adipose Tissue, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Anthropometry, Body Composition, Cadaver, Female, Humans, Leg, Male, Sex Characteristics, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Reproducibility of Results, Absorptiometry, Photon, Subcutaneous Fat
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