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Title: COMPARISON OF THE ABILITY OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND DUAL-ENERGY X-RAY ABSORPTIOMETRY TO DETECT MUSCLE SIZE CHANGES WITH STRENGTH TRAINING IN OLDER ADULTS

Author
item CONWAY, JOAN
item DELMONICO, MATTHEW - UNIV MD, COLLEGE PARK
item JOHNS, JOSH - UNIV MD, COLLEGE PARK
item KOSTEK, MATTHEW - UNIV MD, COLLEGE PARK
item RABON-STITH, KARMA - UNIV MD, COLLEGE PARK
item HURLEY, BEN - UNIV MD, COLLEGE PARK

Submitted to: In Vivo Body Composition Studies International Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/4/2005
Publication Date: 9/1/2005
Citation: Conway, J.M., Delmonico, M.J., Johns, J.R., Kostek, M.C., Rabon-Stith, K.M., Hurley, B.F. 2005. Comparison of the ability of computed tomography and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry to detect muscle size changes with strength training in older adults. In Vivo Body Composition Studies International Symposium Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Muscle size changes in response to training are typically determined by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These methods are expensive, require highly trained personnel, and expose study subjects to high levels of radiation and/or discomfort. Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) is a widely available tool for determining muscle mass that has minimal radiation exposure. Fifteen previously sedentary adults (Age 60 +/- 8 yr, Weight 85.0 +/- 16 kg, Height 1.71 +/- 0.89 m, and BMI 28.8 +/- 5.8) were studied before and after 10 weeks of unilateral strength training of the knee extensors. Multi-slice CT scan (GE Lightspeed Qxi, General Electric, Milwaukee) and total body composition DXA analyses were performed on the trained and untrained leg to measure muscle size. Medical Image Processing, Analysis and Visualization (MIPAV) software (NIH, Bethesda, MD) was used for the CT analyses and the manufacturer’s region of interest (ROI) software (Model QDR-4500A, software version 9.08D, Hologic Inc., Bedford, MA) was used for the DXA analyses. Significant differences in muscle size were found between the trained and untrained legs by both methods of assessment (CT scan (p less than 0.02) and DXA (p less than 0.03)). With training CT thigh muscle volume in the trained leg increased by 3.9 +/- 3.2 percent as compared to an increase of 3.5+/- 4.7percent in muscle mass by DXA. We used a t-test analysis to compare the percent increase in thigh muscle size with training, i.e., we compared the percent change in CT muscle volume with the percent change in DXA muscle mass and found no statistical difference (p = 0.9) between the methods. In summary, ROI DXA analysis was able to detect a difference in muscle size between the trained and untrained legs and to determine the percent change in muscle size with training. Therefore, DXA offers an easier, less invasive, and less expensive method for assessing post-training changes in thigh muscle size in older adults.