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Whole and half‐body dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) analysis of body composition in obese adults
Author(s) -
Silverstein Whitney,
Stadler Diane,
Peters Dawn,
Differding Jerome,
Karanja Njeri
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a165-b
Subject(s) - lean body mass , dual energy x ray absorptiometry , dual energy , nuclear medicine , body weight , medicine , bone mineral content , fat mass , body adiposity index , composition (language) , zoology , classification of obesity , bone mineral , biology , osteoporosis , linguistics , philosophy
Whole body DXA (WB) scans require subjects to weigh less than the manufacturer’s maximum weight limit and to fit completely within the scanning area. To accommodate subjects who meet the weight criteria but exceed the scanning area, alternative methods should be explored. This study compares WB DXA to half body DXA scans in 100 obese adults with an average weight of 103 ± 13 kg, an average BMI of 36 ± 4 kg/m 2 , and who fit within the DXA scanning area. Left and right half‐body DXA values were multiplied by two (2LH and 2RH) and differences from WB DXA were compared using paired t‐tests.Fat and lean mass are lower by the 2LH method compared to the WB method. Fat mass is higher, and lean mass is lower, by the 2RH method compared to the WB method. Bone mineral content (BMC) is higher by the 2LH method, but not significantly different by the 2RH method compared to the WB method. Differences in body composition parameters measured by half‐ and whole‐body DXA analyses, although statistically different, are not clinically different. These results suggest that half‐body DXA analysis is a reasonable alternative to WB DXA analysis to measure body composition when subjects meet the weight criteria but do not fit within the scanning area. Funded by grants 5 MO1 RR000334 and RO1 AT001930‐01 A1.