Influence of weight-adjusted contrast enhancement on computed tomography-derived skeletal muscle measures: a retrospective proof-of-concept comparative study between Danish females and males
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Computed tomography (CT) has an underutilized potential for evaluating body composition in clinical settings. Often conducted with intravenous contrast (IVC), CT scans yield unused body composition data due to unclear effects on skeletal muscle area (SMA), skeletal muscle index (SMI), and muscle density (SMD).
Objectives
This study investigates whether weight-adjusted IVC influences SMA, SMI, and SMD differently in females and males compared with noncontrast abdominal CT. In addition, the study explores associations between contrast and noncontrast-assessed SMA, SMI, SMD, and demographic factors.
Methods
A comparative observational retrospective study was conducted on Danish patients who underwent consecutive 4-phased contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scans (noncontrast, arterial, venous, and late venous phases). Muscle measures were evaluated using validated semiautomated threshold-based software by 3 independent raters.
Results
The study included 72 patients (51 males and 21 females) with a mean age of 59 (55 and 62) y. Weight-adjusted IVC increased SMA by ≤3.28 cm2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.58, 3.98) corresponding to 2.4% (1.8, 2.9) in the late venous phase compared with noncontrast CT. Analysis between sexes showed no difference in the effects of IVC on SMA and SMI between females and males. However, females exhibited a higher increase in SMD during the venous by a mean of 1.7 HU (0.9; 2.5) and late venous phases with a mean HU of 1.80 (1.0; 2.6) compared with males. Multivariate regression analysis indicated an association between the differences in SMD and sex during venous (–1.38, 95% CI: –2.48, –0.48) and late venous phases (–1.23, 95% CI: –2.27, –0.19).
Conclusions
Weight-adjusted IVC leads to increased SMA, SMI, and SMD. Although SMA and SMI differences were consistent across the sexes, females exhibited a significantly higher SMD increase than males in the venous and late venous phases. Further investigations are necessary to determine the applicability of SMD as a muscle quality proxy in IVC CT scans.
期刊介绍:
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is recognized as the most highly rated peer-reviewed, primary research journal in nutrition and dietetics.It focuses on publishing the latest research on various topics in nutrition, including but not limited to obesity, vitamins and minerals, nutrition and disease, and energy metabolism.
Purpose:
The purpose of AJCN is to:
Publish original research studies relevant to human and clinical nutrition.
Consider well-controlled clinical studies describing scientific mechanisms, efficacy, and safety of dietary interventions in the context of disease prevention or health benefits.
Encourage public health and epidemiologic studies relevant to human nutrition.
Promote innovative investigations of nutritional questions employing epigenetic, genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic approaches.
Include solicited editorials, book reviews, solicited or unsolicited review articles, invited controversy position papers, and letters to the Editor related to prior AJCN articles.
Peer Review Process:
All submitted material with scientific content undergoes peer review by the Editors or their designees before acceptance for publication.