Use of NMR for measurement of total body water and estimation of body fat

A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method is described for quantitatively measuring total body water (TBW) and for estimating the fat content of baboons. The hydrogen associated with water was measured as the amplitude of the free-induction decay voltage following a series of 90 degree radio frequency pulses at the Lamour frequency for hydrogen with a pulse length of 14 microseconds and a peak measuring time of 50 microseconds. TBW was calculated by multiplying the peak amplitude (volts) by the experimentally determined constant for a water standard (g water/V). This NMR method yielded TBW contents similar to those obtained in the same baboons by direct gravimetric procedures. In contrast, the widely used 3H2O-dilution method usually and variably overestimated body water. By providing an accurate measure of body water, this NMR procedure provides a rapid, noninvasive, reasonably accurate way of estimating body fat content.