Assessment of visceral and subcutaneous fat tissue size using the stereological methods with the combination of computed tomography images: A simple accurate approach

Objective: Several methods have been used to evaluate the accurate volume of visceral adipose tissue and obesity. In this study we describe a new accurate approach for the assessment of visceral and subcutaneous fat tissue size using the stereological methods with the combination of computed tomography images. 

Methods: Abdominal CT scans of 52 subjects (Male 26, Female 26) were examined retrospectively. The mean age of the males and females (±SD) were 49.95±15.36 and 45.31±14.57, respectively. The CT scanning of patients was performed using a multislice CT machine. The volume of abdominal cavity (AC) and abdominal body region (ABR) were estimated using the planimetry approach of Cavalieri principle. Subcutaneous fat tissue (SFT) in ABR and visceral fat tissue (VFT) within the AC were estimated using point-counting approach of Cavalieri principle. The volume fraction of the SFT within the ABR and VFT within the abdominal cavity were also estimated. 

Results: The volume of SFT was higher in females (males 5481.40cm³ and females 8032.85cm³), (p < 0.05). The results were similar for the volume of VFT (p < 0.05). The volumes of VFT in male and female were 4462.51cm³ and 3154.95cm³, respectively. The bodyweight of the males was 11.25% heavier than the females. The volume fraction of the VFT to the AC of the males and females were 36.35 and 29.37%, respectively, while the volume fraction of the SFT to the (ABR) was significantly higher in the females than the males (males 18.78% and females 28.91%), (p < 0.05). There was a close correlation between the BMI and the volume of VFT and SFT (r=0.708 and 0.714, respectively), (p < 0.05). 

Conclusion: The results revealed that method described in this study is simple, reliable, accurate and fast, and it can be used to measure visceral and subcutaneous fat tissue precisely