ANTHROPOMETRIC OR ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENTS IN ASSESSMENT OF VISCERAL FAT - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY

The main aim of the study (study 1) was to compare the accuracy of ant hropometric and ultrasonic measurements in assessing the amount of vis ceral adipose tissue. An additional aim (study 2) was to verify ultras ound technique precision. Study 1: using computed tomography (CT) L4-L 5 adipose tissue area as a gold standard we compared the accuracy of w aist/hip circumference ratio, sagittal diameter and ultrasonic measure ments of intra-abdominal depth in assessing the amount of visceral adi pose tissue. Study 2: ultrasonic measurements of the intra-abdominal m uscle-vertebra distance were made in triplicate by three different ope rators. In study 1, 24 volunteers were used; body mass index (BMI): 19 -43. In study 2, 22 volunteers were used; BMI 20-42. In study 1, ultra sonic measurements of the abdominal depth correlated best with CT visc eral adipose tissue area (r = 0.89 - 0.91). In study 2, inter-operator and intra-operator mean variation coefficients were about 7% and 5% r espectively. We concluded that using a well standardized technique and properly trained operators, ultrasonic measurement of intra-abdominal depth is a valid method in assessing the amount of visceral adipose t issue.