by Poon Mei Yu. / Thesis submitted in: Dec. 1997. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-132). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Declaration --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.ii / Table of Contents --- p.iii / Abbreviations --- p.xi / List of Figures --- p.xiv / List of Tables --- p.xvii / Abstract --- p.xxi / Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Obesity & related abnormalities --- p.2 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Measurement of body fat --- p.11 / Objective --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Purpose of study --- p.19 / Method --- p.24 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Technical considerations on CT technique --- p.25 / Chapter Chapter 5: --- Data Collection --- p.32 / Chapter Chapter 6: --- Data Analysis --- p.44 / Results --- p.49 / Chapter Chapter 7: --- Amount of adipose tissue --- p.50 / Chapter Chapter 8: --- "Adipose tissue distribution, VSR & VTR" --- p.81 / Discussion --- p.105 / Chapter Chapter 9: --- Discussion --- p.106 / Conclusions --- p.122 / Chapter Chapter 10: --- Conclusions --- p.123 / References --- p.127 / Appendix I --- p.133 / Appendix II --- p.136 / Appendix III --- p.139 / DECLARATION --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / Brief Contents --- p.iii / Detailed Contents --- p.v / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.xi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.xiv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.xvii / ABSTRACT --- p.xxi / INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 1: --- OBESITY & RELATED ABNORMALITIES --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1 --- Adipose Tissue --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Classification of Adiposity --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Obesity --- p.5 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- MEASUREMENT OF BODY FAT --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1 --- Methods of Measuring Body Fat --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Non-imaging Methods --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Imaging Methods --- p.13 / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Plain radiograph --- p.13 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- Ultrasound --- p.13 / Chapter 2.1.2.3 --- Computed tomography --- p.14 / Chapter 2.1.2.4 --- Magnetic resonance imaging --- p.16 / OBJECTIVE --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- PURPOSE OF STUDY --- p.19 / Chapter 3.1 --- Objectives --- p.19 / Chapter 3.2 --- Explanation --- p.20 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Best level of AT area measurement --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Linear AT dimension --- p.22 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Sex and age differences --- p.22 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Difference in attenuation interval of fat --- p.23 / METHOD --- p.24 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON CT TECHNIQUE --- p.25 / Chapter 4.1 --- Defining Anatomy --- p.25 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Abdominal visceral cavity --- p.26 / Chapter 4.1.1.1 --- Diaphragm --- p.26 / Chapter 4.1.1.2 --- Pelvis --- p.26 / Chapter 4.1.1.3 --- Boundary at mid-potion --- p.27 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Intra- and retro- peritoneal compartments --- p.28 / Chapter 4.2 --- Attenuation interval of fat --- p.29 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Distinctive pixel value vs. attenuation interval --- p.30 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Choice of interval --- p.30 / Chapter Chapter 5: --- DATA COLLECTION --- p.32 / Chapter 5.1 --- Subjects --- p.32 / Chapter 5.2 --- Acquisition --- p.33 / Chapter 5.3 --- Measurement --- p.34 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- AT area measurement --- p.35 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Linear AT measurement --- p.38 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- Subcutaneous AT thickness --- p.38 / Chapter 5.3.2.2 --- Visceral AT thickness --- p.39 / Chapter Chapter 6: --- DATA ANALYSIS --- p.44 / Chapter 6.1 --- Tools --- p.44 / Chapter 6.2 --- Mathematical Assumptions --- p.45 / RESULTS --- p.49 / Chapter Chapter 7: --- AMOUNT OF ADIPOSE TISSUE --- p.50 / Chapter 7.1 --- AT Volumes --- p.50 / Chapter 7.1.1 --- In male and female subgroups --- p.50 / Chapter 7.1.2 --- VAT and SAT increase with TAT --- p.52 / Chapter 7.1.3 --- A VAT volume vs. VAT volume --- p.54 / Chapter 7.2 --- AT Areas at Various Anatomical Levels --- p.55 / Chapter 7.2.1 --- In male and female subgroups --- p.56 / Chapter 7.2.2 --- Correlation between AT volumes and areas --- p.62 / Chapter 7.2.3 --- Prediction of abdominal AT volumes from AT areas --- p.63 / Chapter 7.3 --- Linear AT Dimensions --- p.66 / Chapter 7.3.1 --- Linear SAT dimensions correlated to AT volumes --- p.66 / Chapter 7.3.2 --- Linear VAT dimensions correlated to AT volumes --- p.68 / Chapter 7.3.3 --- Prediction of abdominal SAT volume --- p.70 / Chapter 7.3.4 --- Prediction of abdominal A VAT volume --- p.71 / Chapter 7.3.5 --- Prediction of abdominal TAT volume --- p.72 / Chapter 7.4 --- "AT Measurements, Sex and Age" --- p.73 / Chapter 7.4.1 --- In whole study population --- p.73 / Chapter 7.4.2 --- In male and female subgroups --- p.75 / Chapter 7.5 --- Difference in Attenuation Interval --- p.79 / Chapter Chapter 8: --- DISTRIBUTION OF ADIPOSE TISSUE: VSR & VTR --- p.81 / Chapter 8.1 --- VSR --- p.81 / Chapter 8.1.1 --- Correlation --- p.82 / Chapter 8.1.2 --- Prediction --- p.83 / Chapter 8.1.3 --- Effect of attenuation interval --- p.84 / Chapter 8.1.3.1 --- On VSR value --- p.84 / Chapter 8.1.3.2 --- On correlation and prediction results --- p.86 / Chapter 8.2 --- VTR --- p.88 / Chapter 8.2.1 --- Correlation --- p.88 / Chapter 8.2.2 --- Prediction --- p.89 / Chapter 8.2.3 --- Effect of attenuation interval --- p.91 / Chapter 8.2.3.1 --- On VTR value --- p.91 / Chapter 8.2.3.2 --- On correlation and prediction results --- p.93 / Chapter 8.3 --- VSR vs. VTR --- p.95 / Chapter 8.4 --- "VSR, VTR, Sex and Age" --- p.96 / Chapter 8.4.1 --- Correlation --- p.99 / Chapter 8.4.2 --- Prediction --- p.100 / Chapter 8.4.3 --- VSR and VTR increase with age --- p.101 / DISCUSSION --- p.105 / Chapter Chapter 9: --- DISCUSSION --- p.106 / Chapter 9.1 --- Absolute AT Content (Amount) --- p.106 / Chapter 9.1.1 --- AT areas of various anatomical levels --- p.106 / Chapter 9.1.1.1 --- Correlated to AT volume --- p.107 / Chapter 9.1.1.2 --- Prediction of abdominal A T volume: best level --- p.107 / Chapter 9.1.2 --- Linear AT dimensions --- p.109 / Chapter 9.1.2.1 --- Correlated to AT volume --- p.109 / Chapter 9.1.2.2 --- Prediction of abdominal AT volume --- p.111 / Chapter 9.2 --- AT Distribution Indices: VSR and VTR --- p.112 / Chapter 9.2.1 --- The best level --- p.114 / Chapter 9.3 --- Sex and Age Difference --- p.114 / Chapter 9.3.1 --- absolute AT content --- p.114 / Chapter 9.3.2 --- VSR and VTR --- p.116 / Chapter 9.4 --- Difference in Attenuation Interval --- p.118 / Chapter 9.4.1 --- Absolute AT content --- p.118 / Chapter 9.4.2 --- VSR and VTR --- p.119 / Chapter 9.5 --- Limitations --- p.120 / Chapter 9.5.1 --- Study population --- p.120 / Chapter 9.5.2 --- Differentiation of compartments --- p.121 / CONCLUSIONS --- p.122 / Chapter Chapter 10: --- CONCLUSIONS --- p.123 / Chapter 10.1 --- Absolute AT Content in Abdomen --- p.123 / Chapter 10.2 --- Abdominal AT Distribution --- p.125 / Chapter 10.3 --- Effect of Attenuation Interval --- p.126 / REFERENCES --- p.127 / APPENDIX I: Comparison of study populations & scanning techniques --- p.133 / APPENDIX II: Comparison of definitions of attenuation interval of fat and anatomical compartments --- p.136 / APPENDIX III: Statistical summary of the adipose tissue measurements in this study --- p.139