Visceral fat assessment in rectal adenocarcinoma: the role of computed tomography, sagittal abdominal diameter, and waist circumference

Purpose: To evaluate correlations between anthropometric tools for visceral fat assessment, including waist circumference (WC) and sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD), by computed tomography (CT)-derived visceral fat volume in patients with rectal adenocarcinoma. Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study included 138 participants: rectal adenocarcinoma patients (group 1, n = 69) and controls (group 2, n = 69). Assessed variables were weight, body mass index (BMI), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), WC, SAD, and CT-derived visceral fat volume measured with Fat Tissue (Syngo.Via VB20, Siemens). CT analysis was restricted to group 1. Results: Median ages in groups 1 and 2 were 60 and 53 years, respectively (p < 0.0008). CT revealed sex-based differences in visceral fat: 20.91 cm3 in females and 31.29 cm3 in males (p = 0.0043). WC and SAD demonstrated statistically significant correlations with CT-derived visceral fat in group 1 (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: WC and SAD correlated with CT-derived visceral fat in rectal adenocarcinoma patients. These exploratory findings require validation by larger studies with multivariable analyses to establish predictive value and clinical applicability.