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World J Radiol. Jul 28, 2014; 6(7): 409-416
Published online Jul 28, 2014. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v6.i7.409
Published online Jul 28, 2014. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v6.i7.409
Clinical significance of visceral adiposity assessed by computed tomography: A Japanese perspective
Miwa Ryo, Ken Kishida, Tadashi Nakamura, Tohru Yoshizumi, Tohru Funahashi, Iichiro Shimomura, Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
Miwa Ryo, Osaka Health Support Center, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Osaka 541-0041, Japan
Ken Kishida, Department of Hemodialysis, Kishida Clinic, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0021, Japan
Tadashi Nakamura, Department of Internal Medicine, Kawasaki Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo 652-0042, Japan
Tohru Yoshizumi, Department of Radiology, Kawasaki Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo 652-0042, Japan
Tohru Funahashi, Department of Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
Author contributions: Ryo M, Kishida K, Nakamura T, Yoshizumi T, Funahashi T and Shimomura I contributed to this work.
Correspondence to: Miwa Ryo, MD, PhD, Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 B-5, Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. ryomw@gaia.eonet.ne.jp
Telephone: +81-6-68793732 Fax: +81-6-68793739
Received: December 27, 2013
Revised: February 11, 2014
Accepted: April 25, 2014
Published online: July 28, 2014
Processing time: 215 Days and 13.6 Hours
Revised: February 11, 2014
Accepted: April 25, 2014
Published online: July 28, 2014
Processing time: 215 Days and 13.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Accumulation of intra-abdominal visceral fat correlates with atherogenic and metabolic abnormalities, collectively known as the metabolic syndrome. Visceral adiposity is an important component of the syndrome in Japanese individuals with mild adiposity compared with Western subjects. A computed tomography (CT) scan allows the separate analysis of subcutaneous fat and visceral fat, and the visceral fat area (VFA) from a single CT slice L4 level correlates with total visceral fat volume. A VFA cut-off value of 100 cm2 is used for risk assessment of obesity-related disorders.