Figure 1

Interpretation of the BIVA nomogram. Age, BMI and gender adjusted reference values are plotted as so-called tolerance ellipses in the coordinate system. Three tolerance ellipses are distinguished, corresponding to the 50^th, 75^th and 95^th vector percentile of the healthy reference population. Values outside of the 95^th percentile are considered abnormal. Values located above the long axis (/) indicate an increase in body cell mass (BCM), values below the long axis indicate a decrease in BCM. Values located above the short axis (\) indicate a loss of water and values below the short axis indicate increased water retention. Values located outside the 95^th percentile in the following four quadrants point to the following conditions: a) right upper quadrant e.g. exsiccosis b) left lower quadrant e.g. oedema c) right lower quadrant e.g. malnutrition d) left upper quadrant e.g. good training status (modified with permission from Data-Input GmbH).