MRI has proven to be a reliable, fast, noninvasive means for assessing deep fat in adults. Now new research from the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis supports MRI’s effectiveness in measuring intra-abdominal fat in pre-adolescents and adolescents.
MRI has proven to be a reliable, fast, noninvasive means for assessing deep fat in adults. Now new research from the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis supports MRI's effectiveness in measuring intra-abdominal fat in pre-adolescents and adolescents.
External fat, such as love handles, is easy to identify, but internal fat around the abdominal organs is more difficult to assess and potentially more harmful.
"Metabolic abnormalities appear to be more closely associated with intra-abdominal fat tissue, or deep fat," said lead researcher Dr. Marilyn J. Siegel, a professor of radiology and pediatrics. "If you can more reliably measure the deep fat, you can better assess which patients are more at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver."
Published in the March issue of Radiology (242:846-856), the study evaluated 30 young subjects. The group was composed of 20 boys and 10 girls between the ages of 10 and 18. Nine were overweight but nondiabetic, 10 were overweight with type 2 diabetes, and 11 were normal-weight nondiabetic young people.
The patients were imaged using single-section and whole-abdominal multisection MRI. A computer-assisted software program quantified subcutaneous, visceral, and total abdominal adipose tissue (fat) volumes. These results were compared with measurements taken through anthropometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), the conventional means for evaluating adipose tissue.
Anthropometric measurements include waist circumference, abdominal height, and body mass index. DXA distinguishes fat tissue from lean mass, but the process requires a time-consuming whole-body scan and subjects the patient to potentially harmful ionizing radiation.
Siegel and her research team found that the single- and multisection T1-weighted MRI measurements of abdominal adipose tissue corresponded with results from anthropometric assessment and DXA. Single-section MRI characterized the body fat as well as the multisection exam.
"Screening examinations have to be short," Siegel said, "and the single-section MRI only took about five minutes."
Siegel expects fast MR imaging to assist in diagnosing overweight children and in developing weight management strategies. Her next step is to study a larger population of youngsters to validate this preliminary research. In recent related research, she demonstrated that ultrasound can be a reliable tool to screen for liver fat in morbidly obese adolescents.
For more information from the Diagnostic Imaging archives:
SPECT/CT boost malignant lymph node detection in obese women
Battle of sexes begins in genes
Stay at the forefront of radiology with the Diagnostic Imaging newsletter, delivering the latest news, clinical insights, and imaging advancements for today’s radiologists.
The Reading Room Podcast: A Closer Look at Remote MRI Safety, Part 2
July 25th 2025In the second of a multi-part podcast episode, Emanuel Kanal, M.D. and Tobias Gilk, MRSO, MRSE, share their perspectives on remote MRI safety protocols for ensuring screening accuracy and adherence to conditional implant guidelines as well as a rapid and effective response to adverse events.
Study Reveals Significant Prevalence of Abnormal PET/MRI and Dual-Energy CT Findings with Long Covid
July 22nd 2025In a prospective study involving nearly 100 patients with Long Covid, 57 percent of patients had PET/MRI abnormalities and 90 percent of the cohort had abnormalities on dual-energy CT scans.
The Reading Room Podcast: Current and Emerging Insights on Abbreviated Breast MRI, Part 2
July 23rd 2025In the second part of a multi-part podcast episode, Stamatia Destounis, MD, Emily Conant, MD and Habib Rahbar, MD, discuss key sequences for abbreviated breast MRI and how it stacks up to other breast cancer screening modalities.
Stroke MRI Study Assesses Impact of Motion Artifacts Upon AI and Radiologist Lesion Detection
July 16th 2025Noting a 7.4 percent incidence of motion artifacts on brain MRI scans for suspected stroke patients, the authors of a new study found that motion artifacts can reduce radiologist and AI accuracy for detecting hemorrhagic lesions.
The Reading Room Podcast: A Closer Look at Remote MRI Safety, Part 2
July 25th 2025In the second of a multi-part podcast episode, Emanuel Kanal, M.D. and Tobias Gilk, MRSO, MRSE, share their perspectives on remote MRI safety protocols for ensuring screening accuracy and adherence to conditional implant guidelines as well as a rapid and effective response to adverse events.
Study Reveals Significant Prevalence of Abnormal PET/MRI and Dual-Energy CT Findings with Long Covid
July 22nd 2025In a prospective study involving nearly 100 patients with Long Covid, 57 percent of patients had PET/MRI abnormalities and 90 percent of the cohort had abnormalities on dual-energy CT scans.
The Reading Room Podcast: Current and Emerging Insights on Abbreviated Breast MRI, Part 2
July 23rd 2025In the second part of a multi-part podcast episode, Stamatia Destounis, MD, Emily Conant, MD and Habib Rahbar, MD, discuss key sequences for abbreviated breast MRI and how it stacks up to other breast cancer screening modalities.
Stroke MRI Study Assesses Impact of Motion Artifacts Upon AI and Radiologist Lesion Detection
July 16th 2025Noting a 7.4 percent incidence of motion artifacts on brain MRI scans for suspected stroke patients, the authors of a new study found that motion artifacts can reduce radiologist and AI accuracy for detecting hemorrhagic lesions.
2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512