64 detector lightspeed volume ct scanner

Non-contrast CT was performed to assess VAT and abdominal and thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue (aSAT and tSAT, respectively) areas. Following a centralized training, scans were performed locally (Los Angeles and Pittsburgh: 64-detector LightSpeed Volume CT scanner, GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago: 64-detector SOMATOM Definition Dual Source scanner, Siemens Medical Solutions, Forchheim, Germany; Baltimore: 320-detector row AquilionONE, Toshiba Medical Systems, Tokyo, Japan) and read centrally by an experienced reader at Los Angeles Biomed (Harbor-University of California, Los Angeles, Torrance, CA), who also assessed scan quality and consistency.
Adipose tissue areas were measured in cm². Total abdominal fat was measured at the L4-L5 level using single slice CT. VAT was defined as adipose tissue (CT tissue density between −190 and −35 Hounsfield units) between the internal-most abdominal and oblique muscle walls and the posterior aspect of the L4-L5 vertebral body. Abdominal SAT was defined as total fat minus VAT. Thigh SAT was measured from a mid-thigh single slice (CT tissue density of −150 to −50 Hounsfield units).

Non-contrast CT assessed VAT area in cm² at the L4-L5 level using a single slice. Following a centralized training, scans were performed locally (Los Angeles and Pittsburgh: 64-detector LightSpeed Volume CT scanner, GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago: 64-detector SOMATOM Definition Dual Source scanner, Siemens Medical Solutions, Forchheim, Germany; Baltimore: 320-detector row AquilionONE, Toshiba Medical Systems, Tokyo, Japan) and read centrally by an experienced reader at Los Angeles Biomed (Harbor-University of California, Los Angeles, Torrance, CA), who also assessed scan quality and consistency. VAT was defined as tissue density between -190 and -35 Hounsfield units between the internal-most abdominal and oblique muscle walls and the posterior aspect of the L4-L5 vertebral body. Men were stratified by “normal” (nVAT, <100cm²) or “elevated” (eVAT, ≥100cm²) VAT area, which represented both a natural break in our data and is consistent with population-base studies.(Hiuge-Shimizu et al, 2012 (link); Mangili et al, 2015 (link); Williams et al, 1996 (link))