Visceral fat in different locations assessed by ultrasound: Correlation with computed tomography and cut-off values in patients with metabolic syndrome.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between ultrasound measurements of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in different locations and visceral fat area parameters estimated by computed tomography (CT), as well as to determine the cut-off values of ultrasound measurements in patients with metabolic syndrome and in normal controls. Altogether, 304 patients aged 18 to 65 years were enrolled in the study. Ultrasound measurements of visceral fat volume were performed using a number of already described techniques. The correlations of ultrasound indices of VAT and СТ (104 patients) ranged from 0.420 to 0.726. For the most effective diagnostic VAT ultrasound indices, the cut-off values in metabolic syndrome were (200 patients) 21.12 cm2 for the inferior part of perirenal fat (AUC = 0.983); and 47.00, 61.3 and 72.7 mm for the distance between the internal surface of the rectus abdominis muscle and the anterior wall of the aorta, the posterior wall of the aorta and the lumbar vertebra (AUC = 0.960, 0.966, 0.968, respectively). Ultrasound VAT measurements highly correlated with CT results. Cut-off VAT values, determined by ultrasound for the patients with metabolic syndrome, yielded good diagnostic operational characteristics.