Adipose tissue magnetic resonance imaging in the newborn

Infancy is a period of rapid adipose tissue accumulation, and influences during early development are plausible determinants of altered adiposity. The distribution, as well as the quantity of adipose tissue, is a marker of health and disease. Previous methods for the assessment of body composition in infants have been indirect and thus unable to determine adipose quantity reliably, nor assess adipose tissue distribution. Adipose tissue magnetic resonance imaging is direct, non-invasive, radiation free and suitable for serial examinations in infancy. Adipose tissue depots are quantified individually and summated to provide an accurate measure of depot-specific and total adiposity. We have adapted this technique for application to newborns and, to date, have imaged over 100 term and preterm infants

Whole body magnetic resonance imaging of healthy newborn infants demonstrates increased central adiposity in Asian Indians

Abdominal adiposity and metabolic ill health in Asian Indians are a growing public health concern. Causal pathways are unknown. Preventive measures in adults have had limited success. The aim of this observational case-control study was to compare adipose tissue partitioning in 69 healthy full term Asian Indian and white European newborns born in Pune, India and London, UK, respectively. The main outcome measures were total and regional adipose tissue content measured by whole body magnetic resonance imaging. Although smaller in weight (95% CI for difference −0.757 to −0.385 kg, p < 0.001), head circumference (−2.15 to −0.9 cm, p < 0.001), and length (−2.9 to −1.1 cm p < 0.001), the Asian Indian neonates had significantly greater absolute adiposity in all three abdominal compartments, internal (visceral) (0.012–0.023 L, p < 0.001), deep s.c. (0.003–0.017 L, p = 0.006) and superficial s.c. (0.006–0.043 L, p = 0.011) and a significant reduction in nonabdominal superficial s.c. adipose tissue (−0.184 to −0.029 L, p = 0.008) in comparison to the white European babies despite similar whole body adipose tissue content (−0.175 to 0.034 L, p = 0.2). We conclude that differences in adipose tissue partitioning exist at birth. Investigative, screening, and preventive measures must involve maternal health, intrauterine life, and infancy

Neonatal intrahepatocellular lipid

There is increasing evidence that preterm birth is a risk factor for the development of adiposity associated disease, although the pathophysiological basis is unclear. We have previously shown that preterm infants have increased internal abdominal (visceral) adiposity by term. In adults increased internal adiposity is associated with elevated intrahepatocellular lipid (IHCL). We measured IHCL using 1H NMR spectroscopy in 26 infants (eight healthy preterm-at-term and 18 term-born) and compared values with a reference group of 32 adults. There was no significant difference between adult and term-born IHCL content. In preterm-at-term infants IHCL was significantly elevated when compared with term-born infants and with adults (IHCL CH2/water median (interquartile range): preterm 1.69 (1.04–3.53), term 0.21 (0–0.54) and adult 0.55 (0.08–1.57)