Scans assist in health condition management, fitness, nutrition
HILLSDALE, Mich.— Hillsdale Hospital now offers Advanced Body Composition Assessments to help patients and providers better understand risk factors associated with certain medical conditions. By identifying bone, muscle, and fat in the body, the assessment provides a visceral fat measurement, and can also help patients to achieve fitness and nutrition goals tailored to their body composition.
“Assessing body composition provides multiple useful opportunities to an interested patient,” Jamie Caldwell, medical imaging manager, said. “By analyzing fat type and location, indicators of disease and cancer can be detected, even in those with low overall body weight who can still have areas of risk.”
The scan produces a digital body composition image highlighting bone, muscle, and fat. The X-ray places markers indicating seven body regions, and the patient’s total body fat percentage will be shown in comparison to people of the same age, race, and gender. The scan also includes a fat mass index, which calculates excess fat in the body and an estimate of how much of it is surrounding vital organs.
Beyond the use to individual patients, the assessment fits well into wellness programs created by employers encouraging employees to develop an accurate understanding of their health.
“Results are available immediately, with a report printing within minutes after the scan is completed. The reports include information a patient can easily share with practitioners or other professionals as part of their overall health journey,” Caldwell said. “The assessment could be useful for dietitians creating nutrition plans, people setting realistic weight loss goals, athletes improving performance, and strength coaches developing conditioning regimens, as well as injury prevention and rehabilitation.”
Body Composition Assessments are offered at Hillsdale Hospital in the Radiology department on the ground floor. To schedule an appointment or learn more about the assessments, call the scheduling team at (517) 437-1719 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
