MRI Assessment of Body Composition in Bariatric Surgery
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: MRI.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Obesity (BMI>30). Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Poland
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Assessment of Adipose Tissue and Skeletal Muscle Distribution by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients Before and After Surgical Treatment of Obesity
Overview
The goal of this observational study is to evaluate changes in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle distribution using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in adults with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery. The study also aims to investigate the relationship between MRI-derived body composition parameters and metabolic outcomes following surgical treatment of obesity. The main questions it aims to answer are: How does bariatric surgery affect the distribution of visceral, subcutaneous, hepatic, perirenal adipose tissue and skeletal muscle over 12 months? Are changes in MRI-derived body composition associated with improvements in metabolic parameters after bariatric surgery? Participants will: undergo MRI examinations before bariatric surgery and at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery; undergo routine clinical and metabolic assessments during standard postoperative follow-up; have MRI-derived body composition measurements correlated with metabolic outcomes over the 12-month follow-up period.
Detailed description
Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Beyond body mass index (BMI), the distribution of adipose tissue, particularly visceral adipose tissue, plays a critical role in the development of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. In addition, skeletal muscle quantity and quality are increasingly recognized as important determinants of metabolic health and postoperative recovery.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the reference standard for non-invasive assessment of body composition, allowing accurate quantification of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, skeletal muscle volume, intramuscular fat infiltration, and ectopic fat depots without exposure to ionizing radiation. Although bariatric surgery has been shown to induce substantial weight loss and improve metabolic outcomes, the temporal changes in regional adipose tissue distribution and skeletal muscle composition remain incompletely understood.
This prospective observational study aims to characterize longitudinal changes in body composition using MRI in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. MRI examinations will be performed before surgery and during postoperative follow-up to evaluate changes in visceral, subcutaneous, hepatic, perirenal, and intramuscular fat, as well as skeletal muscle volume. These imaging findings will be correlated with routinely collected clinical and metabolic parameters to improve understanding of body composition remodeling after bariatric surgery.
The results of this study may contribute to identifying imaging biomarkers associated with metabolic improvement after bariatric surgery and support the development of more personalized strategies for postoperative monitoring and patient management.
Interventions
- Diagnostic test MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be used to assess body composition before bariatric surgery and at 1, 3, and 12 months after surgery. MRI examinations will quantify visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, skeletal muscle volume, intramuscular fat, hepatic fat, and perirenal fat. Imaging findings will be analyzed longitudinally and correlated with routine clinical and metabolic parameters to evaluate changes in body composition following bariatric surgery.
Primary outcome measures
- Change in abdominal adipose tissue distribution assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [Time frame: Baseline and 3 and 12 months after bariatric surgery]
Secondary outcome measures (5)
- Change in skeletal muscle volume [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, and 12 months after bariatric surgery]
- Change in hepatic fat content [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, and 12 months after bariatric surgery]
- Change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, and 12 months after bariatric surgery.]
- Change in serum triglyceride concentration [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, and 12 months after bariatric surgery.]
- Change in lipoprotein(a) concentration [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, and 12 months after bariatric surgery.]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Age 18 years or older
- BMI >= 30 kg/m2
- qualified to undergo bariatric surgery
- Ability to provide written informed consent
- Willingness to undergo magnetic resonance imaging before surgery and 3, and 12 months after surgery
Exclusion criteria
- Previous bariatric surgery
- Presence of ferromagnetic implants or other contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging
- Previous plastic or surgical procedures affecting the body region assessed by MRI, except cholecystectomy, appendectomy, or inguinal hernia repair
- Chronic kidney disease stage 4 or higher
- Pregnancy
- Claustrophobia preventing MRI examination
- Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Diagnostic
Study locations
Poland · 1 center
- University of Warmia and Mazury — Olsztyn
Publications
- Bai J, Wang S, Pan H, Shi Z, Zhao M, Yue X, Yang K, Zhang X, Wang W, Liu C, Zhang T. Correlation analysis of dynamic changes of abdominal fat during rapid weight loss after bariatric surgery: A prospective magnetic resonance imaging study. Eur J Radiol. 2024 Sep;178:111630. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2024.111630. Epub 2024 Jul 15. PMID 39024662
- Shang-Guan ZX, Lin GT, Liu ZY, Zhong Q, Huang Q, Li P, Xie JW, Wang JB, Lu J, Chen QY, Cao LL, Lin M, Zheng HL, Zheng CH, Lin JX, Huang CM. Effect of Sarcopenic Obesity on Weight Loss Outcomes and Quality of Life after Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Obes Surg. 2024 May;34(5):1479-1490. doi: 10.1007/s11695-024-07146-z. Epub 2024 Mar 15. PMID 38489003
- Emamat H, Jamshidi A, Farhadi A, Ghalandari H, Ghasemi M, Tangestani H. The association between the visceral to subcutaneous abdominal fat ratio and the risk of cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2024 Jul 9;24(1):1827. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19358-0. PMID 38982435
- Neeland IJ, Ross R, Despres JP, Matsuzawa Y, Yamashita S, Shai I, Seidell J, Magni P, Santos RD, Arsenault B, Cuevas A, Hu FB, Griffin B, Zambon A, Barter P, Fruchart JC, Eckel RH; International Atherosclerosis Society; International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk Working Group on Visceral Obesity. Visceral and ectopic fat, atherosclerosis, and cardiometabolic disease: a position statement. Lancet PMID 31301983
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07711925 · 53/2025