AUTHOR=Chen Sihui , Ma Duoshan , Su Danyang , Li Yali , Yu Xi , Jiang Yaojun , Gao Jianbo , Wu Yan 

TITLE=The Optimal Axial Anatomical Site for a Single-Slice Area to Quantify the Total Volume of Visceral Adipose Tissue in Quantitative CT

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.870552

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2022.870552

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Purpose</title><p>Determine the association between cross-sectional visceral adipose tissue (VAT) area of different anatomic locations and total abdominopelvic VAT volume; identify the optimal measurement site in a single-slice to quantify the total VAT volume.</p></sec><sec><title>Method</title><p>Participants who underwent non-contrast abdominal scan by quantitative CT (QCT) were enrolled from May 2021 to October 2021. The VAT area (cm<sup>2</sup>) at different anatomic sites as upper-pole, lower-pole, and hilum of the kidney, intervertebral disc of L2/L3 and L5/S1, and umbilical level were measured on QCT PRO BMD workstation (Mindways QCT PRO workstation). The total VAT volume (cm<sup>3</sup>) from the upper pole of kidney to the L5/S1 intervertebral disc of the pelvis (abdominopelvic region) was obtained by using Siemens Healthineers Syngo <italic>via</italic> Frontier cardiac risk assessment. Regression models were used to identify the optimal single-slice in different gender for estimating VAT volume. Statistical significance was established at <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Total of 311 Chinese participants including 179 men [age, 55.1 ± 14.9 years; body mass index (BMI), 24.2 ± 3.2 kg/m<sup>2</sup>; total VAT volume, 2482.6 ± 1276.5 mL] and 132 women [age, 54.3 ± 14.9; BMI, 23.5 ± 2.9; total VAT volume, 1761.5 ± 876.4]. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a strong association between the VAT area and total abdominopelvic VAT volume at the hilum of the kidney in both men (<italic>r=</italic>0.938, <italic>P</italic>&lt;0.001) and women (<italic>r</italic>=0.916, <italic>P</italic>&lt;0.001). Adjust for covariates including age, BMI, and waist circumference make a relatively small effect on predicting the total VAT volume.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>Measurement of cross-sectional areas at the hilum of the kidney in both genders showed a strongest relation to TVAT volume. Our results may provide an identifiable and valuable axial landmark for measuring visceral adipose tissue in clinical practice.</p></sec>