Patent ID: 6314152
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: A61B,G21K

Abstract:
A method for determining proportion of body fat in an animal body the method comprising:irradiating the animal body with neutrons having sufficient energy to inelastically scatter off carbon and oxygen, and thereby produce gamma rays;detecting produced gamma rays from the animal body that are indicative of carbon and oxygen that have been excited by said neutrons;providing a level of hydration of lean tissue (Coeff) of the animal body;generating a ratio of the detected gamma rays from carbon and oxygen (C/O); anddetermining the proportion of body fat (F) in the animal body as a function of the ratio of carbon and oxygen (C/O) and the level of hydration of lean tissue (Coeff) according to the formula: ##EQU6##where a.sub.1, a.sub.2, a.sub.3, a.sub.4, and a.sub.5 are constants derived from the stoichiometry of one or more of the following chemical compartments: triglycerides, water, protein, bone ash, and glycogen.