Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalised condition characterised by the universal decline in skeletal muscle mass and function [1, 2]. While a highly prevalent and morbid condition, it is often unfeasible to evaluate sarcopenia in the acute clinical setting, especially as function may be limited by acute injury [3, 4]. Functionally, the psoas major muscle plays a crucial role in hip flexion and postural stability, making it a useful indicator of skeletal muscle atrophy and associated functional outcome [5]. Lower psoas mass has previously been...

This was a retrospective single-site study conducted at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) in Brisbane, Australia. Ethical approval for this study was granted by the RBWH Human Research Ethics Committee. A randomly sampled series of 1,000 patients that underwent a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis at RBWH between January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018 were considered for inclusion into the study. Eligibility criteria is detailed in Figure 1. [Fig 1] Patient and demographic data were obtained from the hospital’s integrated...

Characteristics of the 143 patients who met eligibility criteria for this study are displayed in Figure 3. [Fig 3] Males had a significantly greater mean psoas CSA (p < 0.001) and L3 CSA (p < 0.001) than females, but there were no significant sex-related differences in psoas or L3 radiodensity. CT indication had no significant effect on mean psoas CSA (p = 0.987), psoas radiodensity (p = 0.095), L3 CSA (p = 0.038), L3 radiodensity (p = 0.248), or psoas index (p = 0.617), though...

In this study, we establish normative data on psoas major and L3 mass and radiodensity in a cohort of healthy Australian adults. We additionally provide sex-specific linear regression nomograms for psoas mass and muscle quality, and suggest cut-offs for psoas-assessed sarcopenia. CT-assessed psoas major may be amenable to sarcopenia screening in the acute setting for several reasons, including psoas’ majority proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibres; high visibility in routine abdomino-pelvic CT scans; and psoas’ significant role in balance, gait, and patient function.

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