Predicting myofiber size with electrical impedance myography: A study in immature mice

Introduction: Electrical impedance can be used to estimate cellular characteristics. We sought to determine whether it could be used to approximate myofiber size using standard prediction modeling approaches.

Methods: Forty-four C57BL/6J wild-type immature mice of varying ages underwent electrical impedance myography (EIM) with a needle electrode array placed in the gastrocnemius. Animals were then humanely killed and muscle fixed, stained, and myofiber size quantified. Two different statistical prediction models were then applied.

Results: Impedance parameters showed major variation with increasing myofiber size. The prediction models based on EIM data alone were able to predict fiber size, with errors in the range of ±69.05-78.44 µm² (16.19%-18.40% with respect to the average myofiber size).

Discussion: By using well-established statistical models, EIM data alone can provide a satisfactory estimate of myofiber size. Additional study of this approach for approximating myofiber size without the requirement of removing tissue for histological analysis is warranted. Muscle Nerve, 2018.