OBSERVATION OF THE HYPODERMIC FATTY LAYER BY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY METHOD III BODY COMPOSITION OF THE STERNAL ANGLE PLANE

• Published in: Journal of The Showa Medical Association Vol. 45; no. 2; pp. 237 - 245
• Main Author: KADOWAKI, Tetsuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Showa University Society 28.04.1985
• ISSN: 0037-4342; 2185-0976
• DOI: 10.14930/jsma1939.45.237

Using X-ray CT (computed tomography) images, body composition on the sternal angle plane was studied in 105 humans (61 males, 44 females) . Cross sectional area of the subcutaneous fatty layer, the bone-muscle layer and the thoracic cavity, thickness of the subcutaneous fatty layer at 6 points (denoted A-F on circumference) and sagittal and transverse diameter of the thorax were measured and the sex and age difference were discussed. The following results were obtained. 1) Concerning the body composition in cross sectional area of the sternal angle plane, the subcutaneous fatty layer, the bone-muscle layer and the thoracic cavity were 6.8-18.3%, 29.7-42.5% and 41.9-59.2% in males and 11.2-30.2%, 29.5-36.6% and 33.2-55.7% in females respectively. 2) Concerning the body composition of the total area in the cross-section, about the each age, the subcutaneous fatty layer and the bone-muscle layer were remarkably larger in their thirties than in other ages and the thoracic cavity was in their sixties in males respectively. While in females, the subcutaneous fatty layer, the bone-muscle layer and the thoracic cavity were larger in their forties than in other ages and especially in the bone-muscle layer. 3) On the comparison of the each body compositions in each age, in males the subcutaneous fatty layer and she bone-muscle layer tended to increase untill in their thirties and subsequently to decrease due to aging. The thoracic cavity decreased untill in their forties and increased after that. While in females, the subcutaneous fatty layer and the bone-muscle layer increased from in their thirties and the former and the latter were the largest in their fifties and in their forties, respectively. About the thoracic cavity, the measurement value was the largest in their thirties and forties but the ratio was the lowest in their forties. 4) Concerning the thickness of the subcutaneous fatty layer in the cross section, in males, between in their twenties and in their fifties the posterior median line had the most thickness and those in their sixties and seventies were largest in the papillary line. While in females, the most specimens had the maximum in the papillary line. 5) Concerning the sagittal and transverse diameter of the thorax in the cross-section, the sagittal diameter increased in males, from in their thirties untill in their sixties and the maximum was indicated in their sixties. The transverse diameter tended to increase untill in their thirties and arrived at the maximum in this ages, and also the ratio of this paralleled to this change with aging. While in females, the sagittal diameter of the thorax increased untill in their forties and arrived at the maximum in this ages, but the transverse diameter had the maximum in their thirties and subsequently decreased.