Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Short Communication
  • Published:

In vivo precision of the GE Lunar iDXA densitometer for the measurement of total body composition and fat distribution in adults

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 65, pages 140–142 (2011)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

In vivo precision for body composition measurements using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; GE Lunar iDXA, GE Healthcare, Bucks, UK) was evaluated in 52 men and women, aged 34.8 (s.d. 8.4; range 20.1–50.5) years, body mass index (25.8 kg/m2; range 16.7–42.7 kg/m2). Two consecutive total body scans (with re-positioning) were conducted. Precision was excellent for all measurements, particularly for total body bone mineral content and lean tissue mass (root mean square 0.015 and 0.244 kg; coefficients of variation (CV) 0.6 and 0.5%, respectively). Precision error was CV 0.82% for total fat mass and 0.86% for percentage fat. Precision was better for gynoid (root mean square 0.397 kg; CV 0.96%) than for android fat distribution (root mean square 0.780 kg, CV 2.32%). There was good agreement between consecutive measurements for all measurements (slope (s.e.) 0.993–1.002; all R2=0.99). The Lunar iDXA provided excellent precision for total body composition measurements. Research into the effect of body size on the precision of DXA body fat distribution measurements is required.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baim S, Blinkley N, Bilezikian L, Kendler DL, Hans DB, Lewiecki EM (2008). Official positions of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and executive summary of the 2007 position development conference. J Clin Densitom 11, 75–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berends AL, Zillikens MC, de Groot CJ, Rivadenera F, Oostrie BA, van Duijin CM (2009). Body composition by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in women with previous pre-eclampsia or small for gestational age offspring. BJOG 116, 442–445.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Economos CD, Nelson ME, Fiaterone MA, Dallal GE, Heymsfield SB, Wang J et al. (1997). A multi-centre comparison of dual energy X-ray absorptiometers: in vivo and in vitro soft tissue measurement. Eur J Clin Nutr 51, 312–317.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Faulkner KG, Deman PR, Wacker KP, Riewe KP, Franze JR, Barden HS (2006). Accuracy and precision of the Lunar iDXA, a new fan beam densitometer. ECTS conference proceedings, presentation. P374.

  • Figueroa-Colon R, Mayo MS, Treuth MS, Aldridge RA, Weinscen RC (1998). Reproducibility of DXA measurements in prepubertal girls. Obes Res 6, 262–267.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Irwin ML, Alvarez-Reeves M, Cadmus L, Mierzejewski E, Mayne ST, Yu H (2009). Exercise improves body fat, lean mass, and bone mass in breast cancer survivors. Obesity 17, 1534–1541.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krueger DM, Checovich N, Vallarta-Ast D, Gemar D, Blinkley N (2006). Comparison of total body parameters as measured using GE Healthcare Lunar Prodigy and Lunar iDXA densitometers. J Bone Mineral Res 21, SS225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee K, Lee S, Kim Y, Kim Y (2008). Waist circumference, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry measured abdominal adiposity, and computed tomographically-derived intra-abdominal fat area on detecting metabolic risk factors in obese women. Nutrition 24, 625–631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madsen OR, Jenson JE, Sorenson OH (1997). Validation of a dual energy X-ray absorptiometer: measurement of bone mass and soft tissue composition. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 75, 554–558.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oldroyd B, Smith AH, Truscott JG (2003). Cross calibration of GE/Lunar pencil and fan beam dual energy densitometers – bone mineral density and body composition studies. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 977–987.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piche ME, Lapointe A, Weisnagel SJ, Corneau L, Nadeau A, Bergeron J et al. (2008). Regional body fat distribution and metabolic profile in postmenopausal women. Metabolism 57, 1101–1107.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rezzi S, Ginty F, Beaumont A (2009). Body composition precision with the Lunar iDXA. ISCD Meeting Proceedings; March 2009; Orlando, FL, USA.

  • Toussinot E, Semon C, Penfornis F, Windling D (2007). Body composition measurements with Lunar iDXA: Precision evaluation. J Bone Miner Res 22 (T281), S300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uusi-Rasi K, Rauhio A, Kannus P, Pasanen M, Kukkanen-Harjula K, Fogelman M et al. (2009). Three-month weight reduction does not compromise bone strength in obese premenopausal women. Bone 46: 1286–1293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. DXA Unit, Carnegie Research Institute, Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education, Leeds Metropolitan University, Headingley Campus, Leeds, UK

    K Hind

  2. Division of Medical Physics, Centre for Bone and Body Composition Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    B Oldroyd & J G Truscott

Authors
  1. K Hind
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B Oldroyd
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J G Truscott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K Hind.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hind, K., Oldroyd, B. & Truscott, J. In vivo precision of the GE Lunar iDXA densitometer for the measurement of total body composition and fat distribution in adults. Eur J Clin Nutr 65, 140–142 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.190

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.190

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links