Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 28, 2011; 17(28): 3335-3341
Published online Jul 28, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i28.3335
Correlation of fatty liver and abdominal fat distribution using a simple fat computed tomography protocol
Seonah Jang, Chang Hee Lee, Kyung Mook Choi, Jongmee Lee, Jae Woong Choi, Kyeong Ah Kim, Cheol Min Park
Seonah Jang, Chang Hee Lee, Jongmee Lee, Jae Woong Choi, Kyeong Ah Kim, Cheol Min Park, Departments of Radiology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 152-703, South Korea
Kyung Mook Choi, Departments of Internal Medicine (Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism), Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 152-703, South Korea
Author contributions: Lee CH designed the study; Jang S and Lee CH wrote the paper; Lee J, Choi JW, Kim KA and Park CM analyzed the data; Choi KM enrolled the patients in this study; all authors reviewed the paper; Lee CH provided the financial support for this work.
Supported by A Korea University Grant
Correspondence to: Chang Hee Lee, MD, PhD, Department of Radiology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, 80 Guro-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul 152-703, South Korea. chlee86@hanmail.net
Telephone: +82-2-26263212 Fax: +82-2-62809076
Received: November 11, 2010
Revised: November 29, 2010
Accepted: December 6, 2010
Published online: July 28, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the relationship between hepatic fat infiltration and abdominal fat volume by using computed tomography (CT).

METHODS: Three hundred and six patients who visited our obesity clinic between November 2007 and April 2008 underwent fat protocol CT scans. The age range of the patients was 19 to 79 years and the mean age was 49 years. The male to female ratio was 116:190. Liver and spleen attenuation measurements were taken with three regions of interests (ROIs) from the liver and two ROIs from the spleen. Hepatic attenuation indices (HAIs) were measured as follows: (1) hepatic parenchymal attenuation (CTLP); (2) liver to spleen attenuation ratio (LS ratio); and (3) difference between hepatic and splenic attenuation (LSdif). Abdominal fat volume was measured using a 3 mm slice CT scan starting at the level of the umbilicus and was automatically calculated by a workstation. Abdominal fat was classified into total fat (TF), visceral fat (VF), and subcutaneous fat (SF). We used a bivariate correlation method to assess the relationship between the three HAIs and TF, VF, and SF.

RESULTS: There were significant negative correlations between CTLP, LS ratio, and LSdif with TF, VF, and SF, respectively. The CTLP showed a strong negative correlation with TF and VF (r = -0.415 and -0.434, respectively, P < 0.001). The correlation between CTLP and SF was less significant (r = -0.313, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Fatty infiltration of the liver was correlated with amount of abdominal fat and VF was more strongly associated with fatty liver than SF.

Keywords: Steatosis, Computed tomography, Abdominal fat, Visceral fat, Subcutaneous fat