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Updated: Mar 10, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advancements in 3D Optical Imaging for Comprehensive Body Composition Assessment in Modern Research
Published on: June 7, 2024
Monitoring growth and body composition in children with 3-dimensional optical imaging: a pilot observational study
Jonathan P Bennett1, Michael C Wong2, Isaac Y Tian3
1Department of Epidemiology, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, United States.
Background:
Nutritional disturbances among United States children and adolescents have risen sharply in recent decades. Current guidelines emphasize assessing body composition to track changes in fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) after interventions. Three-dimensional optical (3DO) imaging has been validated in cross-sectional pediatric samples, although its accuracy in detecting longitudinal change has not been studied.
Objectives:
This study evaluated the ability of 3DO imaging to monitor body composition over time in children and adolescents.
Methods:
A subsample of 26 ethnically diverse healthy children and adolescents from the Shape Up! Kids study completed whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and 3DO scans at baseline and again ≥1 y later. 3DO meshes were registered to a standardized template for vertex correspondence, transformed into principal components with an established shape model, and used to estimate whole-body and regional body composition measures using published equations. Body composition changes from 3DO scans were compared with DXA using linear regression and root mean square error (RMSE) to quantify error. Duplicate baseline scans provided least significant change (LSC) estimates to assess whether observed 3DO imaging changes reflected true changes in body composition.
Results:
At baseline, mean ± SD age was 10.2 ± 3.2 y, with a mean ± SD body mass index z-score of 0.56 ± 1.29. On average, there were 1.6 y (range: 12-18 mo) between baseline and follow-up. Agreement between 3DO imaging and DXA (R2) for changes in total FM, FFM, and appendicular lean mass was 0.82, 0.81, and 0.77, respectively, with RMSEs of 2.29 kg, 2.79 kg, and 0.78 kg, respectively. Of the sample, 75% to 80% of significant changes in FM and FFM based on DXA LSCs were also categorized as significant by 3DO imaging.
Conclusions:
3DO imaging is capable of monitoring body composition changes over time in children and adolescents. The accuracy, safety, and accessibility of this approach support its feasibility for risk screening in this population. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03706612.
