MRI-based quantification of adipose tissue distribution in healthy adult cats during body weight gain

Figures

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  Figure 1. Analysis postprocessing steps for one representative cat included in the study. The data were supersampled to isotropic voxels. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT, red) determination was performed using the ARTIS algorithm (Adapted Rendering for Tissue Intensity Segmentation); visceral adipose tissue (VAT, green) was identified by selecting all connected voxels with respect to their intensity within the from ARTIS predefined range.

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  Figure 2. Example of the longitudinal development for one representative cat included in the study. Longitudinal scans were analyzed sequentially with a visual determination of the analyzed body area. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT, red), visceral adipose tissue (VAT, green). dm3: 0.001m3.

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  Figure 3. Longitudinal adipose tissue analysis. (A) At the individual level, normalized adipose tissue volumes showed a constant increase from baseline to follow-up 2 in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and total adipose tissue (TAT). The individual cats are indicated by the lines of different colors. (B) At the group level, adipose tissue volumes showed an increase of SAT (red), VAT (green) and TAT (blue). dm = 0.1 m; *p < 0.01; **p < 0.001.

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  Figure 4. The longitudinal development of the VAT/SAT ratio. (A) At the individual level, the ratio of VAT/SAT was longitudinally almost constant in all cats. The individual cats are indicated by the lines of different colors. (B) At the group level, no increased VAT/SAT ratio from baseline to follow-up 2 could be observed.

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  Figure 5. Association of total adipose tissue (TAT) and body weight (BW). BW and normalized TAT are associated at individual level (A) as well as at group level (B).

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  Figure 6. Association of the HFF and normalized adipose tissue volumes (SAT, VAT, and TAT) for baseline (BL), follow-up 1 (FUP1), and follow-up 2 (FUP2). The straight line indicates a proportional dependence (which is not observed for HFF). dm = 0.1 m.