Accuracy of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for assessing longitudinal change in visceral adipose tissue in patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a key target of interventions for obesity-related diseases. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) can estimate VAT, however its accuracy to measure longitudinal change in VAT compared to gold-standard techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has not been studied in adults. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of DXA compared with gold-standard MRI for cross-sectional VAT assessment, and for detecting longitudinal change in VAT.

METHODS

Adults with coronary artery disease (64 ± 8 years; BMI 27.8 ± 3.5 kg/m; 88% male) were assessed for VAT by DXA and MRI at baseline (n = 34) and during implementation of an exercise intervention study at 3- and 12-months (n = 29). To match the 5.2 cm DXA measurement site for Hologic software (InnerCore), VAT cross-sectional area (CSA) was measured by MRI using a single slice at L4/L5 junction, and VAT volume measured by 10 × 5 mm slices over the L4/L5 junction. MRI slices were quantified for VAT using semi-automated specialised software. Relationships between DXA and MRI for cross-sectional VAT and longitudinal change in VAT were determined by linear regression. Accuracy between the methods was assessed by Bland-Altman analysis, with data presented as mean difference (95% confidence interval), lower and upper limits of agreement (LoA).

RESULTS

Strong correlations were found between DXA-VAT and MRI-VAT at baseline (r = 0.90; p < 0.001), and longitudinal change in DXA-VAT and MRI-VAT over 3- and 12-months (r = 0.67; p < 0.001). In contrast, Bland-Altman analysis revealed significant overestimation by DXA-VAT volume at baseline by 13% [-104 cm (-157, -52 cm), p < 0.001; LoA (-398, 189 cm)], and underestimation of change in DXA-VAT volume over 3-months by 33% [-41 cm (-77, -4 cm), p = 0.030; LoA (-228, 147 cm)] and 12-months by 47% [-65 cm (-114, -17 cm), p = 0.010; LoA (-316, 185 cm)]. Results were similar for VAT CSA.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with MRI, DXA substantially underestimated longitudinal changes in VAT. Therefore, DXA is not currently a valid alternative to MRI for quantifying VAT changes and may under-represent the effectiveness of interventions for obesity management.