Adipose tissue distribution as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging and total body fat by magnetic resonance imaging, underwater weighing, and body-water dilution in healthy women.

A method for estimating total body fat (TBF) and the amount and distribution of adipose tissue in humans by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is described. Thirty transaxial images of subjects were taken by a nuclear magnetic imager (0.02 T). Adipose tissue volume was calculated from adipose tissue area in each image and from the distances between images. The CV when estimating total volume of body adipose tissue was 1.5%. TBF of healthy Swedish women was estimated by the MRI method (n = 25), by underwater weighing (UWW) (n = 20), and by body-water dilution (BWD) (n = 23). When assessed by MRI and BWD, women contained 1.4 +/- 2.9% less and 4.7 +/- 4.0% more TBF, respectively, than when assessed by UWW. On average, 74.2% of total adipose tissue volume was situated subcutaneously. Subcutaneous fat:fat-free body weight and nonsubcutaneous fat:fat-free body weight were both significantly correlated with percent TBF but the women stored excess fat subcutaneously rather than nonsubcutaneously.