Associations between pQCT-based fat and muscle area and density and DXA-based total and leg soft tissue mass in healthy women and men

• Published in: Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions Vol. 14; no. 4; pp. 411 - 417
• Main Authors: Sherk, V D, Thiebaud, R S, Chen, Z, Karabulut, M, Kim, S J, Bemben, D A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece 01.12.2014
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Adipose Tissue - anatomy & histology; Adult; Body Composition; Female; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Leg - anatomy & histology; Linear Models; Male; Middle Aged; Muscles - anatomy & histology; Sex Characteristics; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1108-7161

Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT) can be used for muscle and fat area and density assessments. These may independently influence muscle and fat mass measurements from Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). To determine associations between pQCT-derived soft tissue density and area measures and DXA-derived soft tissue mass. Linear regression models were developed based on BMI and calf fat and muscle cross-sectional area (FCSA and MCSA) and density measured by pQCT in healthy women (n=76) and men (n=82) aged 20-59 years. Independent variables for these models were leg and total bone-free lean mass (BFLM) and fat mass (FM) measured by DXA. Sex differences (p<0.01) were found in both muscle (Mean±SE: Women: 78.6±0.4; Men: 79.9±0.2 mg/cm(3)) and fat (Women: 0.8±0.4 Men: 9.1±0.6 mg/cm(3)) density. BMI, fat density, and age (R(2)=0.86, p<0.01) best accounted for the variability in total FM. FCSA, BMI, and fat density explained the variance in leg FM (R(2)=0.87, p<0.01). MCSA and muscle density explained the variance in total (R(2)=0.65, p<0.01) and leg BFLM (R(2)=0.70, p<0.01). Calf muscle and fat area and density independently predict lean and fat tissue mass.