OBJECTIVETo investigate the whole body fat distribution in severe obese patients with multi-slice spiral CT, and to explore the correlation between adipose volume parameters and anthropometric data.

METHODSTotally 14 severe obese patients were enrolled and examined with multi-slice spiral CT. Total adipose tissue (TAT) volume and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume were measured using Volume software. The total, subcutaneous, and visceral adipose tissue volumes on umbilical level were also determined. The correlations between these parameters and anthropometric data including body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference were analyzed.

RESULTSAll scans were performed successfully. TAT was significantly correlated with body weight (r=0.7185ìP =0.004), BMI (r=0.8079ìP=0.004), and waist circumference (r=0.7627, P=0.002). VAT was mildly correlated with body weight (r=0.5727ìP=0.032) and strongly correlated with waist circumference (r=0.6707ìP =0.001). There was highly significant correlation between subcutaneous adipose tissue volume on umbilical level with TAT (r=0.8926ìP=0.000), and mild correlation between visceral adipose tissue volume on umbilical level with VAT (r=0.5949ìP=0.025).

CONCLUSIONSMulti-slice spiral CT can be applied to evaluate whole body fat distribution in severe obese patients. Waist circumference is highly relevant with VAT and therefore can be used as a simple parameter for evaluating adipose tissue inside the abdomen.