Validity of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for estimation of visceral adipose tissue and visceral adipose tissue change after surgery-induced weight loss in women with severe obesity

Maxine Ashby-Thompson; Stanley Heshka; Bridgette Rizkalla; Rosalie Zurlo; Thaisa Lemos; Isaiah Janumala; Bret Goodpaster; James DeLany; Anita Courcoulas; Gladys Strain; Alfons Pomp; Patrick Kang; Susan Lin; John Thornton; Dympna Gallagher

doi:10.1002/oby.23415

Validity of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for estimation of visceral adipose tissue and visceral adipose tissue change after surgery-induced weight loss in women with severe obesity

Obesity (Silver Spring). 2022 May;30(5):1057-1065. doi: 10.1002/oby.23415. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Authors

Maxine Ashby-Thompson^{1

2}, Stanley Heshka¹, Bridgette Rizkalla^{1

3}, Rosalie Zurlo^{3

4}, Thaisa Lemos¹, Isaiah Janumala¹, Bret Goodpaster⁵, James DeLany⁵, Anita Courcoulas⁶, Gladys Strain⁷, Alfons Pomp⁸, Patrick Kang⁹, Susan Lin^{1

10}, John Thornton¹, Dympna Gallagher^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ New York Nutrition Obesity Research Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
² Division of Molecular Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
³ Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
⁴ Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
⁵ AdventHealth Orlando, Translational Research Institute, Orlando, Florida, USA.
⁶ Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
⁷ Division of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, New York, USA.
⁸ Department of Surgery, University of Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
⁹ New York Radiology Partners, New York, New York, USA.
¹⁰ Center for Family and Community Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.

Abstract

Objective: Reliable and simple methods to quantify visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and VAT changes are needed. This study investigated the validity of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for estimating VAT cross sectionally and longitudinally after surgery-induced weight loss in women with severe obesity.

Methods: Women with obesity (n = 36; mean age 43 [SD 10] years; 89% White) with DXA and MRI before bariatric surgery (T0) at 12 (T12) and 24 months (T24) post surgery were included. CoreScan (GE Healthcare, Chicago, Illinois) estimated VAT from 20% of the distance between the top of the iliac crest and the base of the skull. MRI VAT (total VAT) was measured from the base of the heart to the sacrum/coccyx on a whole-body scan.

Results: Mean DXA VAT was 45% of MRI VAT at T0, 46% at T12, and 68% at T24. DXA underestimated change in MRI VAT between T0 and T12 by 26.1% (0.81 kg, p = 0.03) and by 71.7% (0.43 kg, p < 0.001) between T12 and T24. The relationship between DXA VAT and MRI VAT differed between T12 and T24 (p value for interaction = 0.03).

Conclusions: CoreScan lacks validity for comparing VAT across individuals or for estimating the size of changes within individuals; however, within the limits of measurement error, it may provide a useful indicator of whether some VAT change has occurred within an individual.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00682058.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Absorptiometry, Photon / methods
Adipose Tissue
Adult
Female
Humans
Intra-Abdominal Fat* / diagnostic imaging
Obesity, Morbid* / diagnostic imaging
Obesity, Morbid* / surgery
Weight Loss
Whole Body Imaging

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00682058

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Associated data

Grants and funding