Metabolic Imaging

Professor of Metabolic Imaging, applying precision phenotyping to disease processes. @RCOptimalHealth, University of Westminster. All views my own.

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

MRI shows a 4–5% muscle/lean mass decline over ~2.5 years — missed by DXA.

Bottom line: DXA is practical at scale, but MRI gives a more precise picture of lean mass change, especially in ageing and longitudinal studies.

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

New paper out! https://t.co/arvsXDLmN3 Using data from 32,961 @uk_biobank participants, we compared DXA vs MRI for body composition.
Key takeaways:
DXA works well for fat measures.
It overestimates lean mass vs MRI.

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

@aifbw @timeshighered These blunt rules ignore people’s real circumstances and risk shutting out exceptional talent. You’re a powerful example of just how much brilliance would be lost @aifbw

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

Using deep learning on 44k @uk_biobank abdominal MRIs, we mapped heart and vascular structures, linked these traits to CVD risk, and uncovered 15 new genetic associations. Abdominal MRI is a powerful, untapped tool for understanding cardiovascular health https://t.co/VQEChnj9b2

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

I was ridiculously excited to meet @AuntMinnie today! You never know what’s going to happen next at @RSN. There is just so much to explore. A fantastic first day #RSNA25

[Perspectum @PerspectumGroup]

We’re proud to share the publication of a new paper in the Journal of Abdominal Radiology on automated MRI quantification of body fat and skeletal muscle.

Study highlights:

✅ For clinicians:
A rapid, single-slice assessment of body fat and muscle, strongly correlated with gold-standard volumetric measures, to support routine monitoring, triage, and decision-making.

💊 For pharma:
Trial-ready volumetric MRI biomarkers for body composition, validated against expert manual segmentations and interchangeable across methods and vendors, enabling objective, scalable endpoints in obesity, cardiometabolic and musculoskeletal trials

👏 Congratulations to Magdalena Nowak, Luis Núñez, Charles E. Hill, Tim Pagliaro, John McGonigle, Marili Niglas, Camilo Bell-Bradford, Matthew Robson, Helena Thomaides Brears, E. Louise Thomas, and Jimmy D. Bell on this important contribution.

🔗 https://t.co/oRT0lGTSJv

👉 BBC https://t.co/7F3kR0vCfr

#Perspectum #BodyComposition #MedicalImaging #ClinicalResearch #Pharma #ClinicalTrials #UKBiobank #Collaboration

[UK Biobank @uk_biobank]

All speaker presentations from last month's 100K Imaging Project celebration at the Royal Society are now available to view ✅

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

@davidtroponin @LifeSciWestmin I had no idea that there was a university TikTok account 😂

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

@manuelcorpas @NatureGenet Congratulations @manuelcorpas

[School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster @LifeSciWestmin]

Wonderful to see out graduating students walk across the stage at the Royal Festival Hall this afternoon. What a joyous celebration of their achievement, congratulations to all of our graduates and their families 🎓@UniWestminster

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

@claire76 @pollyhayes Could be this year as I’m in the same outfit 😂

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

Please to share our latest @RCOptimalHealth paper led by Elena Sorokin and @YaghootkarH now published in @FrontGenetics @LifeSciWestmin https://t.co/u5V3NVBrnL

[UK Biobank @uk_biobank]

Yesterday, we announced that our Imaging Project achieved the original goal of scanning 100,000 participants. ✅

Learn more about how the altruism of 100K volunteers is positively impacting health research here: https://t.co/SeIKHnsjUc

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

@aifbw @UniWestminster Thank you so much Alex! Amazing to think that all those late nights of fat imaging at the Hammersmith and the endless hours of manual image analysis would eventually grow into something so extraordinary.

[School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster @LifeSciWestmin]

Many congratulations to the @uk_biobank for reaching this extraordinary milestone. We are so proud to see the fantastic research of our @RCOptimalHealth team led by Prof Louise Thomas (@ImagingFat) and Prof Jimmy Bell being featured in the press coverage today.

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

Also out this week in @IntJObesity Changes in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness associate with disease and anthropometric factors led by our fantastic Marjola Thanaj @uk_biobank @LifeSciWestmin @RCOptimalHealth https://t.co/fgyH2EAXYD

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

Our new publication: Deep learning predicts onset acceleration of 38 age-associated diseases from blood and body composition biomarkers in the UK Biobank led by our brilliant Mica Xu Ji @GeroScienceAGE @uk_biobank @LifeSciWestmin @RCOptimalHealth https://t.co/ztrL0GTN4M

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

Home after a wonderful graduation at @univofstandrews. We were a very proud watching Daisy raised to the rank of Master of Arts in International Relations and Social Anthropology. A spectacular ceremony and garden party to mark the end of four fantastic years in a unique town.

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

@claire76 Oh no - that’s rough. Hope you are feeling ok

[Metabolic Imaging @ImagingFat]

@Anthony21360838 @RCOptimalHealth @LifeSciWestmin Congratulations Tony 👏👏👏