Refining visceral adipose tissue quantification: Influence of sex, age, and BMI on single slice estimation in 3D MRI of the German National Cohort

Haueise, Tobias; Schick, Fritz; Stefan, Norbert; Grune, Elena; von Itter, Marc-Nicolas; Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich; Nattenmüller, Johanna; Norajitra, Tobias; Nonnenmacher, Tobias; Rospleszcz, Susanne; Maier-Hein, Klaus H.; Schlett, Christopher L.; Weiss, Jakob B.; Fischer, Beate; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Krist, Lilian; Niendorf, Thoralf; Peters, Annette ; Sedlmeier, Anja M.; Willich, Stefan N.; Bamberg, Fabian und Machann, Jürgen (2025): Refining visceral adipose tissue quantification: Influence of sex, age, and BMI on single slice estimation in 3D MRI of the German National Cohort. In: Zeitschrift für Medizinische Physik [Forthcoming]

Abstract

Objectives: High prevalence of visceral obesity and its associated complications underscore the importance of accurately quantifying visceral adipose tissue (VAT) depots. While whole-body MRI offers comprehensive insights into adipose tissue distribution, it is resource-intensive. Alternatively, evaluation of defined single slices provides an efficient approach for estimation of total VAT volume. This study investigates the influence of sex-, age-, and BMI on VAT distribution along the craniocaudal axis and total VAT volume obtained from single slice versus volumetric assessment in 3D MRI and aims to identify age-independent locations for accurate estimation of VAT volume from single slice assessment.

Materials and methods: This secondary analysis of the prospective population-based German National Cohort (NAKO) included 3D VIBE Dixon MRI from 11,191 participants (screened between May 2014 and December 2016). VAT and spine segmentations were automatically generated using fat-selective images. Standardized craniocaudal VAT profiles were generated. Axial percentage of total VAT was used for identification of reference locations for volume estimation of VAT from a single slice.

Results: Data from 11,036 participants (mean age, 52 ± 11 years, 5681 men) were analyzed. Craniocaudal VAT distribution differed qualitatively between men/women and with respect to age/BMI. Age-independent single slice VAT estimates demonstrated strong correlations with reference VAT volumes. Anatomical locations for accurate VAT estimation varied with sex/BMI.

Conclusions: The selection of reference locations should be different depending on BMI groups, with a preference for caudal shifts in location with increasing BMI. For women with obesity (BMI >30 kg/m2), the L1 level emerges as the optimal reference location.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Keywords: Deep learning; Magnetic resonance imaging; Obesity; Single slice quantification; Visceral adipose tissue
• Fakultät: Medizin > Institut für Medizinische Informationsverarbeitung, Biometrie und Epidemiologie
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 09393889
• Sprache: Englisch
• DFG: Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 402688427