Background: Obesity is associated with numerous metabolic complications and cardiovascular disease. Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging provides fair resolution of fat distribution, its quantification by semiautomatic methods being feasible. Our purpose was to analyze abdominal fat deposition by MR imaging and quantify its relative distribution in 50 obese patients. RESULTS were then related to anthropometric measures and cardiovascular risk markers.
Patients and method: Six axial T1-weighted abdominal images were obtained from each patient and transferred to a PC. A software (ASYMED 3.0; Valencia) was used to analyze the images and quantify relative fat deposition. Comparison of MR results with several cardiovascular risk markers was performed using unpaired data Student t-test. Significance level was defined as a P < 0.05.
Results: 12% of patients showed predominant intra-abdominal fat deposition.Significant differences were found with regard to age, waist-hip ratio and average serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL,triglycerides and apoprotein B between intra-abdominal deposition versus subcutaneous fat deposition.
Conclusion: MR imaging allows estimation of abdominal fat deposition and its relative distribution. There is a significant relationship between a predominant intra-abdominal fat deposition and an atherogeniclipid profile.