Soft tissue segmentation of the body and fractionation of the upper and lower limbs

Abstract

The aim of this cadaver analyses study was to provide regression models for the prediction of major tissue components of the human body. Altogether 182 anthropometric measurements were taken bilaterally on six cadavers (3 male, 3 female). The cadavers were segmented by severance through soft tissue only and gross segments weighted in both air and water. Each limb segment was then fractionated into four components--skin, adipose tissue, muscle and bone--and each component was also weighed in both air and water. Regression equations were developed for the prediction of total segment masses from anthropometry and the prediction of intra-segmental tissue component masses from anthropometry. Weight, volume, density and percentage of body weight are given for 14 body segments and are compared with 19th and 20th century cadaver data. Ten regression equations were generated for the prediction of segmental masses and per segment the major issue components generated a total of 24 regressions.